Concord University Summer 2015 Alumni Magazine

Alumni Weekend

The 140th

Spring Commencement

2015

Founders' Day

From the President’s Desk It is my pleasure to extend campus greetings and a warm welcome to the Summer 2015 edition of Concord University’s Alumni Magazine on behalf of the faculty, staff, and students. Often when thinking of the days of summer, we picture sunny days with sleepy mornings, restful afternoons, and lazy evenings watching the sun set in the western skies or at the beach. However, that is definitely not what it is like on campus these days! I can’t remember a busier summer, filled with more activities and visitors.

The Dean’s Office has organized and successfully implemented several Freshman Orientation days that have been successful in helping hundreds of new students know what they may expect upon their arrival to campus in the fall. During these special days, the students and their parents are welcomed, showered with information and ideas for the year ahead, and are provided their fall course schedules after tours of campus and lively discussion sessions with current Dr. Boggess with Jim '62 students, staff, and faculty. and Liz Jessee '62 Our Advancement Office has had a very busy spring full of events such as the Donor Appreciation Dinner, the Senior Dinner which honored soon-to-be graduates and their parents, the Alumni Banquet, and graduation gown-steaming days to prepare for commencement. We also had Phi Sigma Epsilon/Phi Sigma Phi fraternity on campus to celebrate their 55th reunion this year.

Graduation was a wonderful, happy day filled with celebrations, tears, and laughter for the families of our students as our new graduates were launched into careers, graduate and professional schools and many other exciting ventures. Mr. Victor Grigoraci was honored during commencement with an honorary doctorate and he challenged the new graduates to remember to offer a hand up to future Mountain Lions by being engaged in and committed to the alumni association. He also made a generous donation that he challenged graduates to match in order to begin another scholarship for future students in the name of the Class of 2015.

In May, following graduation, I had the opportunity to catch up with some alumni in Florida. It is always a treat to meet with Concord family and hear their stories and share in their successes. Our meetings are leading to some really great plans in the near future. It is our goal to get alumni, family and friends engaged and involved as much as possible. And with the help of our supporters, we are developing some exciting events. Please watch for the stories we’ll share!

Please know that your membership in the Concord University Alumni Association is a great way to stay connected. Memberships help support events like Homecoming and the Spring Alumni Banquet, along with the formation of new alumni chapters.

Please continue to send us regular updates on the exciting events taking place in your lives. Our Class Notes section is an important means of keeping up with alums and we always look forward to hearing what our graduates have accomplished and about the milestone events in their lives.

Thanks to each of you for your unique and special contributions to Concord and for your ways of staying connected. We look forward to catching up with you at an event soon!

Dr. Kendra Boggess Concord University President

Calendar of Events August 16 • Athens-Concord Town Social • 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Concord University Front Lawn

August 20 • CU Night at the Princeton Rays game • 7:05 p.m.

Hunnicutt Field Princeton, WV September 11-12 • Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity Reunion

September 12 • CU Football Home Opener vs. Fairmont State • 12:00 noon Callaghan Stadium Athens, WV September 26 • Pine Trees Alumni Chapter Fall Social • 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

President’s House Concord University, Athens, WV October 2 • Beckley & Beyond Alumni Chapter Event • “October Sky” showing - Rocket Boys Festival • 7:00 p.m.

Beckley, WV October 5-10 • Homecoming Week

October 10 • Homecoming Game • Concord vs. UVA-Wise • 2:00 p.m.

Callaghan Stadium Athens, WV October 23 • CU Athletic Department Elimination Dinner • 6:00 p.m.

University Point Athens, WV December 1 • Holiday Open House • 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

University Point Athens, WV December 10 • Gingerbread Girls’ Night Out President’s House Concord University, Athens, WV For details on any of these events please contact alumni@concord.edu or 1-304-384-5348. We hope to CU soon!

Inside this Issue SUMMER 2015

On the Cover

9

Alumni Weekend

The 140th

Spring Commencement

21

2015

Founders' Day

President Vice President for Advancement Alumni Director President, Concord University Alumni Association, Inc. Chair, Concord University Foundation, Inc. Graphic Designer Staff Writer Editorial Assistant

Dr. Kendra Boggess Alicia Besenyei Sarah Lively Turner '98 Rose Kessinger '68

15

Victor Grigoraci ’64 addresses the Spring 2015 graduates during commencement ceremonies on May 9. He received an honorary doctorate from Concord that day for his career and community accomplishments.

Features 4

Alumni Events

9

2015 Alumni Weekend

13 News from the Division of Social Sciences 15 The 140th Spring Commencement 21 2015 Founders' Day 25 Concord University Presents Cody Wickline 27 2015 Donor Appreciation Dinner

Doug Maddy '69

29 The Concord University Foundation Board of Trustees 33 Retired Faculty & Staff: Staying Connected 37 Beyond the Classroom

Lance McDaniel '10 Sarah P. Dalton Amy Pitzer

Concord University Office of Advancement PO Box 1000 Athens, WV, 24712 1-304-384-6311 Fax: 1-304-384-6017 advancement@concord.edu www.concord.edu

41 Greek Spotlight - Alpha Sigma Tau 43 Legacy Family 47 News from the Department of Physical Sciences 49 Beckley Update 51 Alumni Entrepreneurs 68 Homecoming Calendar

In Every Issue 3

CU Alumni Association, Inc.

54 CU Foundation, Inc. 55 Heritage & Horizon 59 Class Notes 75 CU Athletics

Did you know that money from Concord University Alumni Association membership dues is used to support events like Homecoming and Alumni Weekend?

Did you know that CUAA dues help support items like student scholarships, alumni outreach events and even the Alumni Magazine?

Did you know that CUAA members enjoy discounts on merchandise at the CU bookstore, a discount on child care at the CU Child Development Center and opportunities for “members only” events like receptions at the President’s House?

Did you know that Concord’s 2013-2014 alumni giving rate was only 4 percent?

Did you know that a school’s alumni giving rate is a determining factor for items such as national rankings and grant applications?

Each year the CUAA relies on the support of alums just like you in order to handle alumni business and move the Association forward. Alumni support has always been critical, but as state budgets continue to dwindle and costs for everything continue to rise, alumni support is crucial to the success of the University and the CUAA.

For as little as $10 a year you can play your part in Concord’s success and can give back to the school that gave you the education you needed for your chosen path in life.

For the cost of a couple of trips to Starbucks you can have an impact on the future of your alma mater. The need has never been greater. The ways to give have never been easier.

Simply use the envelope in this magazine to mail your dues in or visit http://concorduniversityalumni.com/alumnimemberships/ to pay your dues online.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

Upcoming Events Athens-Concord Town Social

Football Home Opener vs.

Fairmont State

Homecoming

August 16, 2015 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Concord University Front Lawn Athens, WV

August 20, 2015 12:00 noon Callaghan Stadium Athens, WV

October 10, 2015 2:00 p.m.

Concord vs. UVA-Wise Callaghan Stadium Athens, WV

I want to join!

Check a box and return this slip in the envelope provided with this magazine. Please be sure to fill out your contact and payment information on the envelope inside this issue.

Join Us Today!

CU Alumni Association, Inc. Individual Membership Form Basic $10 - 24.99

Maroon & Gray Club $25 - 149.99

President’s Club $150 - 499.99

Life Membership $500 or more

Local Chapter Dues - Chapter name & amount enclosed _____________________ $________________ Renew Membership - Amount enclosed $________________

3 • Summer 2015

To pay your dues with your credit card or debit card, please call 1-304-384-6311

AlumniEvents Charlotte, NC Alumni from the Charlotte, NC area gathered at Sam Baker ’78 and his wife Barbara’s house on Lake Norman on April 18th. The weather was perfect for being outdoors and guests enjoyed food, boat rides and a visit with CU President Dr. Kendra Boggess.

During a short meeting, plans for formalizing a chapter and future events were discussed. The goal is to have an alumni chapter chartered by the end of 2015 and plans for a night of dinner and a Charlotte Hornets game are already in the works. If you are interested in being a part of this chapter, please contact the Alumni office at alumni@concord.edu or 304-384-5348.

Phi Sigma Epsilon Reunion Nearly 70 Phi Sigma Epsilon/Phi Sigma Phi alumni gathered at Pipestem State Park the weekend of May 15-17 for the fraternity’s 55th anniversary celebration. Activities included a Friday night gathering, a meeting with CU President Dr. Kendra Boggess Saturday morning, golf outings and a dinner/ dance on Saturday night. Phi Sig alums from as far away as the state of Washington made the trip for what was a memorable weekend for all in attendance!

Yankee Chapter The Yankee Chapter of the CUAA met in New York City the weekend of June 5-7. During the weekend, alumni visited the Morgan Museum to view President Lincoln's personal papers. On Saturday the alumni and friends of Concord took a double decker bus tour of lower Manhattan and then went to a Broadway play. On Sunday alumni went to Yankee Stadium to see the Bombers defeat the Los Angeles Angels.

Anyone interested in attending Yankee Chapter alumni activities in the future should contact Bob Gallione at rgallione@aol.com Summer 2015 • 4

AlumniEvents

UP & COMING ALUMNI Emily Myers Duke ’02 (left) represented Concord University at a scholarship presentation at Poca High School on May 29, 2015. She participated in the presentation of scholarships to three up and coming CU students who are (left to right): Hannah Fields, Hannah Scurlock and Haley Fields .

Check us out

ONLINE Check out the new Concord University Alumni Association website for all your up-to-date alumni news and updates.

Please visit: www.concord universityalumni.com

5 • Summer 2015

Your Opinion Matters to Us! The Concord University Office of Advancement strives to provide the best experience possible to alumni, donors and friends of Concord and is always looking for ways to improve upon the services we provide. As budgets get tighter, interests change and priorities shift, we need to make sure that we are offering alumni what they want and that we continue to stay relevant.

As we look at future programming, we want to know what our alumni have an interest in and what they would be willing to support. Please take a few minutes to visit the following site to take a survey on our programming and activities: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CUAA2015survey

Everyone who completes the survey will be entered to win a $50 VISA gift card! The survey will be open through September and we will draw our winner in early October. Thank you for your input!

Summer 2015 • 6

ATTENTION

ALUMNI!

The Concord University Alumni Association has a number of alumni chapters that are always looking for new members. If you live in any of the following areas, we hope you will consider joining your local alumni chapter: 1. Pine Trees Chapter (southern West Virginia and southwest Virginia counties) pinetreesalumnichapter@hotmail.com

2. Beckley & Beyond Chapter (Raleigh, Summers, Greenbrier, Wyoming and the southern half of Fayette counties) beckleyalumni@mycu.concord.edu

3. Greater Kanawha Valley Chapter (Kanawha, Boone, Cabell, Putnam, Clay, Lincoln and the northern half of Fayette counties) charlestonalumni@mycu.concord.edu 4. Yankee Chapter (Northern States - NY, NJ, DE, MA, CT, RI, ME, VT, NH, PA) rgallione@aol.com 5. CU Employees Chapter alumniemployees@mycu.concord.edu

6. Roanoke / New River Valley Chapter swvirginiaalumni@mycu.concord.edu The Alumni Office is also in communication with alumni in the following areas regarding starting a new chapter or reorganizing an old chapter:

• Charlotte, NC

• Northern VA/ Washington, DC/Eastern Panhandle of WV

Now, even more ways you can donate to or join the CUAA!

• Florida

• Morgantown, WV

If you are interested in being a part of any of these chapters please contact the Alumni Office at alumni@concord.edu or 304-384-5348.

Alumni E-mail Accounts

Help Graduates Stay Connected to CU Beginning with the May 2014 class, all CU graduates will automatically receive an alumni e-mail account. Individuals graduating prior to May 2014 will be able to request the service. This is a great way for alumni to stay connected to Concord.

The account offers 50 GB of e-mail storage and 25GB of

Help Us

document storage on OneDrive. The “mycu.concord.edu” email account the alum used as a student will continue to be valid as well. The handle or username will remain the same with the new alumni account.

For example, smithj15@mycu. concord.edu becomes smithj15@ alumni.concord.edu as an alumni e-mail account.

Information is sent to all new graduates about the new alumni account including a link to a tutorial about its use. For alums graduating prior to May 2014, request your new alumni e-mail account by going to https://apps.concord.edu/ machform35/view.php?id=72399

Rescue a Lost Mountain Lion!

While the Alumni Office makes every effort to keep in touch with all Concord alumni, we know there are some alums for which we do 7 • Summer 2015

not have a current mailing address, phone number and/or email address. If you know of any alums who do not receive the Alumni

Magazine, please contact us at alumni@concord.edu or 304-3846311 and let us know.

Concordians were invited to join the “I Heart CU” campaign during the month of February 2015 and share why they love Concord. Social media messages, special notes decorating the Welcome Center in the Student Center and photo ops with friends and colleagues added to the fun.

For more information on the campaign, visit www.concord.edu/advancement/i-heart-cu

There was never a time when I felt unwanted here, and I’ve made relationships that will never die.

Cassandra Molchanoff '15

Concord is the heart of the Athens community and a powerful force in the global community with graduates all over the world.

Keith Circle '03

Of the valuable work ethic I developed and the wonderful friendships made while pursuing higher education. Concord gave me confidence and heart. It also taught me to love coffee— Starbucks!

Jamie Parsell Null '06

Concord is home.

Allen Smith '05

Of the many wonderful professors and faculty. I have made friendships here that I know will last a lifetime, all while following my dreams!

McKenzie Dunn '15

Summer 2015 • 8

9 • Summer 2015

Alumni and Friends Gather

for Celebration in April

oncord celebrated Alumni Weekend April 24 – 26, 2015 with a number of activities on the Athens campus for the University’s alumni and friends along with all members of the Concord community.

Participants were invited to start the weekend early with an evening at the theater. “Crimes of the Heart,” a Concord theater production, was performed in the HC Paul Theatre April 22-25.

Susan Lawrence ’87 presented “Professionalism in the Workplace” on April 23 in the Pais Fellowship Hall in University Point. Lawrence is owner of Class Advantage Image, Inc. Festivities continued on April 24 with the annual Greek Sing Competition in the Carter Center Main Gym. Activities on April 25 included a Reunion Brunch in the Pais Fellowship Hall in University Point.

Later that day, the Mountain Lions held their spring football game at

Top: CU alumni and friends attend the Annual Alumni Banquet. Middle: Jeff Dotson '85 and son Tanner. Bottom: Cathy Burnley '75 and Deborah Gillespie '74

Summer 2015 • 10

Left: Deborah Gillespie presents Brad Lane '02 with one of the Young Alumnus awards. Right: Jessica Lilly '07, one of the other Young Alumnus award recipients.

Callaghan Stadium. An Alumni Tailgate was held outside of the stadium prior to the game. (A recap of the game is found on page 80.)

The Concord University Alumni Association, Inc. (CUAA) held its Spring Banquet on April 25 in the Pais Fellowship Hall in University Point.

The CUAA presented four awards to alumni for outstanding achievements and service. Awards include Alumnus of the Year, Outstanding Alumnus, Golden Alumnus and Young Alumnus.

Award recipients are: Alumnus of the Year – Sarah Turner ’98; Outstanding Alumnus – Linda Poff

Alumnus of the Year

Sarah Lively Turner ’98 he Alumnus of the Year award is given each year to a CUAA member who has contributed their time and/or talents to Concord and to the Alumni Association. This year’s honoree, Sarah Lively Turner, graduated from Concord in December of 1998 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a management major and a communications minor.

She was very active on campus as a student, serving in the SGA, writing for The Concordian and through her membership in Sigma Sigma Sigma Sorority and in Gamma Beta Phi honor society.

After spending a year working in banking, Sarah began work on her Masters in Communication Studies at Marshall University. During this time, she taught public speaking courses as an adjunct instructor at Concord and as a teaching assistant at Marshall. While at Marshall, she served as a tutor to student athletes and was involved in local Relay for Life efforts. During her last year of graduate school, she began working in the Admissions office at the WV School of Osteopathic Medicine, where she worked for the next nine and one half years.

11 • Summer 2015

After five and one half years in the Admissions office Sarah transitioned to the school’s clinical education department and spent the rest of her time at WVSOM in their Statewide Campus program.

She set up two of their six regional offices – one in Huntington and one in Princeton. Twice during her time there she was recognized with the President’s Award for outstanding employee service.

In 2011 she made her way back to Concord, where she currently serves as the Director of Alumni Affairs. Sarah has been very involved with her sorority since graduation, serving as an advisor to the Tri-Sigma chapter at Concord since 2004 and serving as a volunteer with their national organization since 2006. In 2014 she was chosen as one of only 10 Tri-Sigma alumnae in the entire country to participate in a week long leadership program and earlier this year she was selected to serve as the President of the newly formed Tri-Sigma Southern WV alumnae chapter.

Before beginning her work in Concord’s alumni office, Sarah served on the CUAA Executive

Sarah Turner '98 (left) receives her award from Deborah Gillespie.

Council and is currently a member of the Pine Trees alumni chapter.

During her time at Concord, she has been recognized with a Presidential Service Award and was also selected to represent Concord in the 20142015 Mercer Tazewell Adult Leadership program.

Her dedication to furthering Concord’s work with its alumni is not just about a paycheck, but about a love for a place that means so much to her and her family of Concord grads.

’76; Golden Alumnus – Robert Gallione ’68; and, Young Alumnus – Brad Lane ’02 ’03, Jessica Lilly ’07, and, Andrew Wright ’04.

To learn more about the honorees see below as well as pages 55 and 57.

Alumni Weekend activities continued the morning of April 26 with an Alumni Memorial Service in the Wilkes Family Chapel in University Point.

A Farewell Brunch later that morning concluded the weekend’s activities. The brunch was held in the Libby Alvis Dining Hall in the Jerry L. and Jean Beasley Student Center.

Left: Robert Gallione '68, CU's Golden Alumnus award recipient. Right: The lighting of candles at the Alumni Memorial Service.

Outstanding Alumnus

Linda Poff ’76 he Outstanding Alumnus award is given each year to a Concord alum who has made outstanding accomplishments in their professional and civic life.

This year’s recipient, Linda Poff, is a Mercer County native who graduated from Bluefield High School in 1972 and Concord in 1976 with a degree in Elementary Education.

She began her teaching career at Montcalm Elementary in the fall of 1976 in the 4th grade. Nine years later she transferred to Straley Elementary, where she taught 5th and 6th grades until she retired from teaching in 2011, with 35 years of experience. During those 35 years, she pursued a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Salem University, and returned to Concord University to earn a master’s degree in Education with a Specialization field in Geography Education.

Linda worked as an adjunct instructor for CU from 2003 until 2013, teaching a variety of Geography courses, as well as Social Studies Methods classes. A life changing moment for her was in 1992, when, after meeting Dr. Joe Manzo, she became involved with the

West Virginia Geographic Alliance.

She was fortunate enough to be a participant at National Geographic Society workshops in Washington, D.C., San Francisco, Calif., and Portland, Ore. over a period of six years.

The training led to being a member of the WVGA summer staff to help train teachers throughout the state of West Virginia. Promoting Geographic literacy remained at the top of her priorities, to the extent that it led her to helping with the state Geographic Bee and becoming the state Bee coordinator five years ago. In doing so, the state Bee is now held on the campus of Concord University. Linda also helps coordinate the National Geographic Society’s Giant Traveling Maps of different continents that arrive on the CU campus where hundreds of local students benefit from interactive learning. She also traveled with the Giant Map of Europe to Shepherd University this spring for Eastern Panhandle students to have an opportunity to enjoy.

Through the years, Linda has been blessed with several recognitions including 1986 Mercer County Teacher of the Year, 1990 and 2004

Linda Poff '76 (left) receives her award from Sarah Turner

Recipient of National Council for Geographic Education Distinguished Teaching Award, 1990 Regional Winner of the Rand McNally /NCGE Excellence in Teaching Geography Award, and 1990 recipient of the Milken Foundation National Educator Award.

Finally, her newest job has been to play with children for the past several years at the Chuck Mathena Center each December. She has taken on the role of being Mrs. Claus which leads her to reading favorite Christmas stories and doing the “Reindeer Boogey.”

Linda has certainly impacted her fair share of children over the years.

Summer 2015 • 12

News from the Division of Social Sciences Geography Dr. Shamtini Shome presented her research, “The American Dream: Stories of Somali Refugee Women from the American Heartland,” at the Association of American Geographers annual meeting held during April 2015 in Chicago, Ill. Dr. Shome’s work explores the major assimilation challenges faced by Somali refugee women resettled in Kansas City and the various coping strategies that they employ. The observation data, focus groups and in-depth interviews collected over six years strive to tell the personal stories faced by these women as they arrive from the Dadaab refugee camp and begin resettlement in the Midwest.

Political Science

Read about Concord students’ participation in the FrasureSingleton Legislative Internship on page 69.

Psychology

The McNair Scholars Program and Psychology Faculty co-hosted Concord University’s 8th Annual Undergraduate Research Day and Graduate & Professional School Fair on April 16 in the Student Center Ballroom. This event provides a professional venue for Concord students and McNair Scholars from Bluefield State College and West Virginia State University to share their research and other 13 • Summer 2015

of Outdoor Recreation course coordinated a wide range of water resource educational programs and Youth Arts in the Parks events with area middle school students from Raleigh, Fayette, and Summers counties. RTM students often serve as volunteers at Sandstone Falls and Grandview National Park.

Social Work

Concord student researchers, from left, Alexandrea Smith, Jessica Dale and Brandon Dale present their findings during the poster segment of McNair’s Undergraduate Research Day.

academic work with the Concord community and guests. Nearly 100 posters were presented along with 14 oral presentations. Dr. Michael R. Markham, a leading expert in the neurobiology of animal communication systems, served as keynote speaker. He is currently the Case-Hooper Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Oklahoma.

Recreation and Tourism Management

Dr. Roy Ramthun and Dr. Linwood Clayton hosted a 3-day workshop with Park Ranger Mark Bollenger from the Sandstone Visitor Center with the New River Gorge National Park on April 21-24, 2015.

The event is part of an ongoing collaboration, now in its 14th year, between the RTM program and the National Park Service. Students from the RTM 331 Administration

During the National Association of Social Workers West Virginia Chapter’s 2015 Spring Continuing Education Conference, held April 15-17 in Charleston, W.Va., Dr. Sarah Whittaker and Assistant Professor Shawn Allen presented their research, “Ethical Issues in Field Instruction.” Dr. Joan Pendergast organized a CU Social Work alumni event that brought together many familiar faces from the past. As the alumni got reacquainted and discussed their current careers, they had the opportunity to meet many of the current Social Work students who were there volunteering at the conference.

Sociology

Dr. Alecea Standlee is conducting an inter-university research project that examines the prevalence and impacts of computer graded compositions in high school as students transition to college writing. The project will include data collected from colleges and universities across the U.S.

Authors Showcased

at Library’s Writer’s Block he Marsh Library’s ongoing series The Writer’s Block features presentations by published authors. Visiting writers during the spring semester included Rita Sims Quillen and Ed Davis. Along with the campus community, the public was invited to attend the programs.

Davis, a West Virginia native, appeared at The Writer’s Block in March. His newest novel, “The Psalms of Israel Jones” is a story of a father and son’s journey toward spiritual redemption, by way of serpents, rock and roll and the crazed fans who want to become a part of the show. Davis has published four poetry chapbooks:

EPAT Hosts

“Appalachian Day,” “Haskell,” “Whispering Leaves,” and “Healing Arts.”

His fiction has been published in literary magazines including Footwork, Riverwind, The Vincent Brothers Review, Wind, and Evansville Review. Davis is the author of two previous novels: “I Was So Much Older Then,” published in 2001 and “The Measure of Everything,” published in 2005. He taught writing, literature, and humanities courses at Sinclair Community College from 1978 to 2011.

Quillen spoke at Concord during April. Her 2014 novel “Hiding Ezra,” published by Little Creek Books,

was a finalist in the 2005 DANA Awards competition, and a chapter of the novel is included in the new scholarly study of Appalachian dialect by the University of Kentucky Press entitled “Talking Appalachian.” Her new poetry chapbook, “Something Solid to Anchor To” was also published in 2014.

One of six semi-finalists for the 2012-14 Poet Laureate of Virginia, Quillen received a Pushcart nomination as well as a Best of the Net nomination in 2012 for her poetry. After retiring from a successful teaching career, she now lives and farms on Early Autumn Farm in Scott County, Virginia.

Global Collaboration and Diversity Symposium eacher education students in Concord University’s EPAT (Educational Psychology, Assessment, and Technology) collaborated during the spring semester with their counterparts at Victoria University in Australia, exchanging information on school systems, types of diversity, teaching methodologies, largescale assessments, and issues in education, among other topics.

The students shared their findings at the Global Collaboration and Diversity Symposium on April 22 in the Student Center Ballroom. The event featured poster presentations and interactive activities and art festivities.

During the symposium, students demonstrated diverse technologies (Skype, Google Docs, Voice Thread, Wikis, etc.), while underlining cultural awareness and acceptance.

EPAT is taught by Dr. Anita Reynolds, professor of education, and Dr. Terry Mullins, professor of education. The Concord professors presented “A Model for

EPAT professors Dr. Terry Mullins, left, and Dr. Anita Reynolds host the event.

Global Collaboration” highlighting the Australian Collaboration at the International Society for Technology in Education’s 2014 International Conference. ISTE, the world’s most comprehensive education technology conference, was attended by 16,039 individuals representing 67 nations.

To enrich the global symposium, students from Melrose Elementary School visited Concord University on April 22 for a Global Diversity event. Concord’s EPAT students shared technology and school

differences with the 4th and 5th graders from Melrose Elementary School, while conducting small group interactive lessons on history, geography, math, science, and diversity. The lessons centered on the Australian theme.

Dr. Lauri Reidmiller, associate professor of art, and her education students took the Melrose students on a safari followed by an interactive art lesson related to Australian culture.

According to the EPAT professors, the event highlights the emphasis placed in the Teacher Education Program on collaboration, global awareness and networking, and utilizing 21st Century technology.

The symposium is the capstone event for the students’ Australian collaboration, and also provides an opportunity to outreach to the public school students in Concord’s Professional Development Schools.

The symposium has been presented during the fall and spring semesters at Concord University for the past several years.

Summer 2015 • 14

15 • Summer 2015

oncord University’s 140th Spring Commencement was held on Saturday, May 9 in the Carter Center main gym.

Ceremonies were held at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. to recognize undergraduate and master’s degree candidates for graduation.

Valedictorians for the Spring 2015 class are Mariah Danielle Farley of Athens, W.Va. and Laken Cheyenne McKenzie of Princeton, W.Va. Farley received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, summa cum laude, and a Bachelor of Science, summa cum laude.

Her majors were finance and

Top to bottom, left to right: CU friends and family gather to celebrate with the 2015 graduates; McKenzie Dunn (center) makes her way into the ceremony with the other graduates; Dr. Kendra Boggess addresses the most recent CU alumni; Two of the master's graduates, Johnathan and Mallory McPherson.

Summer 2015 • 16

Top to bottom, left to right: The Concord University Band provides music for the ceremony; Cody Boone, President of the CU Student Government Association, delivers final words to the Spring graduates; Concord faculty stand for the National Anthem.

mathematics. McKenzie received a Bachelor of Arts, summa cum laude. Her major was psychology.

An honorary degree was presented to Mr. Victor Grigoraci ’64 during the 10 a.m. ceremony.

He received an Honorary Doctorate of Humanities, honoris causa. Mr. Grigoraci has built an outstanding career as an accountant and achieved distinction as a public servant and community volunteer. He is a resident of Charleston, W.Va. (Mr. Grigoraci is featured in an article below.)

Dr. Kendra Boggess issued the President’s welcome during both ceremonies. Members of the campus community offering greetings include: Board of

HONORARY DEGREE r. Victor Grigoraci ’64 received the degree of Doctor of Humanities, honoris causa during the 10 a.m. Spring Commencement ceremony on May 9. A resident of Charleston, W.Va., he has built an esteemed career in the field of accounting and achieved distinction as a public servant and community volunteer. His professional and personal successes are many.

Mr. Grigoraci earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting from Concord and has achieved success in his career as a Certified Public Accountant.

His work history has included service as an Internal Revenue Agent and work in public practice with national and international CPA firms. He later went on to start his own CPA firm with colleagues, growing it into a respected business.

Mr. Grigoraci serves his fellow citizens as Treasurer of the City of Charleston.

17 • Summer 2015

Mr. Victor Grigoraci '64 receiving his honorary degree.

A long list of professional and community organizations have benefited from his membership and leadership. Among these are the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the West Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants, the Charleston Rotary Club, the West Virginia Tax Institute, the West Virginia State Museum Board and the West Virginia Parkways Authority.

Dedicated to bringing arts, entertainment and education to his neighbors in Charleston, Mr. Grigoraci helped found the Festiv-

ALL in Charleston, the West Virginia International Film Festival and the Charleston Area Tax Group.

Through generosity to his alma mater, Mr. Grigoraci established the Victor and David Grigoraci Scholarship Fund with the Concord University Foundation. He also devotes time to scholarship fundraising events and supports the Concord University Alumni Association with a lifetime membership. In honor of his achievements, the Alumni Association named Mr. Grigoraci Concord’s Outstanding Alumnus in 2006.

As a husband, father and grandfather, Mr. Grigoraci values family and acknowledges their accomplishments. He and his wife of more than 46 years, Judy, have five living children who all have earned one or more university degrees.

Judy is a newspaper food columnist and according to her husband, it is her “love and support” that guide and undergird his achievements.

Above: Students show some creativity with their caps.

Governors Chair Elliot Hicks; Faculty President Dr. Susan Williams ’91; Alumni Association President Rose Kessinger ’68; and Student Government Association President Cody Boone ’15.

Candidates for graduation participated in a ceremony based on their fields of study.

The morning ceremony included candidates for Master of Education and Master of Arts in Teaching and undergraduates from the divisions of Business, Education and Fine Arts.

Participating in the afternoon ceremony were candidates for Master of Social Work and Master of Health Promotion and undergraduates from the divisions of Humanities, Science, Mathematics & Health, and Social Sciences along with undergraduates in Interdisciplinary Studies and the Regents Bachelor of Arts program.

In addition to candidates for graduation from West Virginia, candidates from out-of-state

INTERNATIONAL STUDENT aria Nikolaeva of Moscow, Russia, is a member of Concord’s Class of 2015.

She participated in the Spring Commencement on May 9 and received a Bachelor of Arts, summa cum laude.

Daria’s graduation was the result of more than 15 years of hard work and dedication by retired CU staff person Edward Lowe, his wife Nilda (who teaches Spanish for Concord), and several faculty members, most specifically Dr. Roy Ramthun, who began a relationship with Mari State Technical University in 2000 when Princeton, W.Va. became a sister city with Yoshkar-Ola, Russia.

Since then, Mr. Lowe and Dr. Ramthun have traveled many times to visit the Russian school (now called Volga Tech) and have hosted visitors from there to Concord University and southern West Virginia every fall.

“We first met Dasha in Russia

Daria Nikolaeva

and then she came here for a visit,” explained Dr. Ramthun. “We were so excited to hear that she wanted to come to Concord to finish her Graphic Arts degree.”

Other Concord professors who have collaborated with the effort are Dr. Susan Williams '91, Dr. Joe Manzo and Dr. Joan Pendergast.

Several CU students, now alumni, have visited Yoshkar-Ola. These included Ginger Boyles ’11, Erin Gedick-Holdren ’11, Ashley Lawler ’10, Brianna Karl and Beth Ryan.

Summer 2015 • 18

VALEDICTORIANS

Mariah Danielle Farley of Athens, W.Va. (left) and Laken Cheyenne McKenzie of Princeton, W.Va. (right)

Clockwise from top left: Ryan Bradley marches in; Elliot Hicks, Chair of the Concord University Board of Governors, speaks to the crowd; Family of Concord grads - Holly Woods '12, Hanna Jackson '15, Heidi Houck '06 & husband Frank Houck '07; Davon Marion; The graduates celebrate their recent accomplishment; Marchelle Romage Bowling and Hannah Vass; Cory Bishop.

19 • Summer 2015

represent: Alaska, Delaware, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Virginia.

International graduates represent Canada, Japan, Russia, Scotland, Spain and Sweden. The Spring 2015 class includes seven veterans.

Musical selections prior to and during the ceremonies were provided by the Concord University Band and the Concord University ConChords.

Graduates and their guests celebrated during receptions on the Carter Center lawn following both ceremonies.

Spring 2015 Graduates Enjoy ‘Last Hurrah’ he Career/Advancement Services Office hosted “The Last Hurrah” for graduating seniors on April 30 in the Student Center Ballroom. A special senior dinner is held in honor of the soon-to-be graduates each semester. The evening featured a delicious meal prepared by Aramark along with door prizes and gifts for the seniors. Following the dinner, the seniors received their caps and gowns which were steamed by members of the CU community.

Left: Students pick up their caps and gowns after the dinner. Middle column (top to bottom): CU Alumni Director Sarah Turner '98 addresses the newest CU alumni; Jason Halsey, Anthony Cornell, Cody Boone and Joey Sharpe enjoying one of their last dinners together as undergraduates. Right column (top to bottom): Career Services Director, Tammy Monk gives last advice to the students; one senior wins a 32" LED TV door prize.

Summer 2015 • 20

Founders’ Day Marks 143rd Anniversary

‘Year of Renewal’ Proclaimed at Concord University

proclamation designating 2015 as “The Year of Renewal” at Concord University was issued during the Founders’ Day Celebration on the afternoon of Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2015. The gathering, which took place in the Pais Fellowship Hall

21 • Summer 2015

in University Point, marked Concord’s 143rd anniversary.

On Feb. 28, 1872 the school received its charter from the West Virginia Legislature.

“In this Year of Renewal, we will celebrate the history of Concord University, we will witness the renovation of structures that will better serve our students and our community, we will continue with valuable service projects in the region, we will support our students

in their efforts on the athletic fields of challenge, and most of all, we will continue to strengthen and grow our academic purposes on campus and in the Beckley area,” Concord University President Dr. Kendra Boggess said in her remarks.

“We are honored to be part of the process of renewal and pledge to continue the academic traditions, the service responsibilities, and the research challenges that present themselves.”

Mr. Kevin Powell ’89 delivered the Keynote Address. Powell is the CEO of Kevin Powell’s Automotive and Powersports Group. His dealerships represent nine different franchises

with stores located in Winston-Salem, Greensboro, Charlotte and Pilot Mountain, N.C. These dealerships are consistently recognized as top producing dealerships in the state of North Carolina and amongst their respective brands nationwide. His entrepreneurial interests also include an insurance agency, a marketing company, a scrap metal business, and a professional automobile racing team. He received a degree in business administration with a concentration in finance from Concord.

Powell said the “core values” that are an integral part of his company, and what he looks for in employees, are principles that he learned about at Concord. Included are character, capacity, attitude, heart and desire.

“I’m so proud to be a Concord alum,” he said. “I got a wonderful education at Concord.”

The Founders’ Day celebration offered a time to honor recipients of academic and service awards.

Recognition was given to members of Concord’s Athens and Beckley campuses including faculty, staff and students for teaching, teamwork, scholarship, creativity and service.

Faculty and staff receiving years of service awards were also honored.

Faculty award recipients include: Faculty Scholarship/Creativity Award, Dr. Stephen Kuehn; Faculty Service Award, Dr. Joan Pendergast; and, Faculty Teaching Award, Mr. Kevin Bennington.

Classified Staff award recipients include: Classified Staff Presidential Service Award, Mr. Allen Smith; Classified Staff Outstanding Service Award, Mr. Gary Hylton; and, Classified Staff Teamwork Award, Ms. Sarah Dalton.

Non-Classified Staff award recipients include: Non-classified Staff Presidential Service Award, Mr. Steve Meadows; Non-Classified Staff Student Focus Award, Mrs. Kathy Ball; and, Non-Classified Staff Teamwork Award, Mr. Garin Justice.

Erma Byrd Center (Beckley) award recipients include: Erma Byrd Center Outstanding Faculty Award, Mr. Keith Lilly; and, Erma Byrd Center Student Service Award, Mrs. Anita Rakes.

PROCLAMATION Whereas, Concord University celebrates a remarkable history from its

establishment in 1872 through the present day; and, Whereas,

this institution has provided higher education under four names witnessing a rebirth of purpose with the progression from Concord State Normal School to Concord State Teachers College to Concord College to Concord University; and,

Whereas,

structures across campus including the Marsh Library, the track, and the Towers Residence Halls are receiving renovations that offer renewed possibilities for learning, gathering, living and physical activity; and,

Whereas, rallying around fellow Concordians in need; cheering on champion

athletic teams; and, celebrating shared successes and accomplishments

reinvigorates comradery within the Concord community; and, Whereas, educational opportunities are revitalized as academic offerings

continue to expand at Concord’s Athens and Beckley locations; and, Whereas, the future beckons with new horizons for Concord’s students, faculty,

staff, alumni, friends, and all Concordians; Now, Therefore, Be it Resolved that we do hereby proclaim 2015 as:

The Year of Renewal at Concord University and invite and encourage the entire campus community to join in this pursuit.

Dated this Twenty-Fifth day of February in the year Two Thousand Fifteen

A full house present as Concord celebrates its 143rd birthday.

Summer 2015 • 22

Kevin Powell '89 delivers the keynote address.

Dr. Viscusi presents President Boggess with this year's proclamation.

Faculty award recipients: Dr. Stephen Kuehn (left), Dr. Joan Pendergast (middle), and Mr. Kevin Bennington (right).

Classified staff award recipients: Mr. Gary Hylton (left), Mr. Allen Smith (center), and Ms. Sarah Dalton (right).

Non-classified staff award recipients (left to right): Mrs. Kathy Ball, Mr. Garin Justice, and Mr. Steve Meadows.

Erma Byrd award recipients: Mr. Keith Lilly (left) and Mrs. Anita Rakes (right).

23 • Summer 2015

Student award recipients include: Student Presidential Service Award, Ms. Carli Brewer; Student Mt. Lion Spirit Award, Ms. Ronni Wood; Student Outstanding Commuter Award, Ms. Katie Ratcliffe; and, Student Organizational Philanthropy Award, Sigma Tau Gamma.

Years of Service awards from Concord University and the State of West Virginia were also presented.

Recipients of a Concord University Service Award for 5 years of service are: Dr. William Miller, Mr. Paul Price, and, Ms. Kathyrn Southcott.

Recipients of a Concord University Service Award for 10 years of service are: Mr. William Bailey, Mr. Douglas Becker, Mr. James Biggs, Jr., Dr. Darrell Crick, Ms. Sarah Dalton, Mr. Kent Gamble, Ms. Nora High, Mrs. Terri Philpott, Mr. Thomas Shelton, Mrs. Lora Woolwine, and, Mrs. Carolyn Worley.

Recipients of a Concord University Service Award for 15 years of service are: Mr. Steven Barrett, Mrs. Jennie Cordle, and, Dr. Susan Williams.

Recipients of a Concord University Service Award for 20 years of service are: Mrs. Rosalie Peck and Mr. Mark Stella.

Recipients of a Concord University Service Award for 25 years of service are: Mrs. Carolyn Cox and Mr. Michael Shumate.

Recipient of a Concord University Service Award for 30 years of service is Mrs. Mitzi Cline.

Recipients of a State of West Virginia Service Award for 20 years of service are Mrs. Rosalie Peck and Mr. Mark Stella.

Recipients of a State of West Virginia Service Award for 25 years of service are: Mrs. Carolyn Cox, Mr. Kenneth Osborne, and, Mr. Michael Shumate.

Recipients of a State of West Virginia Service Award for 30 years of service are: Mrs. Mitzi Cline and Mrs. Pamela McPeak.

Musical selections for the celebration were provided by the Concord University Band and the Concord University ConChords. A reception followed the program in the Erickson Alumni Lounge.

The ConChords perform during the ceremony.

Student award recipients (left to right): Student Organizational Philanthropy Award, Sigma Tau Gamma, Ms. Carli Brewer, Ms. Ronni Wood and Ms. Katie Ratcliffe.

Ten Years of Service (back row, left to right) - Mr. William Bailey, Ms. Nora High, Mrs. Carolyn Worley, Mrs. Lora Woolwine, Mrs. Terri Philpott, Ms. Sarah Dalton and (front) Mr. Kent Gamble.

Fifteen Years of Service (left to right) Mr. Steven Barrett and Dr. Susan Williams.

(Left to right) Twenty Years of Service - Mr. Mark Stella. Twenty Five Years of Service - Mr. Kenneth Osborne and Mrs. Carolyn Cox. Thirty Years of Service - Mrs. Mitzi Cline.

Summer 2015 • 24

‘Race to Resurface the Track’

Benefit Concert Features Cody Wickline

ountry music performer Cody Wickline appeared at Concord in April during a fundraising concert benefitting the “Race to Resurface the Track” project. Before taking the stage in the Carter Center, Wickline held a “Meet and Greet” with fans in the lobby.

Wickline has been in the spotlight recently for making it to the top 30 in NBC’s show “The Voice.”

During an interview prior to the Concord concert, the Beckley, W.Va. native said he was “super excited to perform in front of college students such as myself.”

Wickline, who has put his pursuit of a nursing degree on hold in light of his recent musical accomplishment, took classes at Bluefield State College’s Beckley location. Concord University is also located at the Erma Byrd Center in Beckley and Wickline said he met Concord students while attending class there.

Both a singer and a songwriter, Wickline is influenced by such country greats as George Jones, Waylon Jennings and Merle Haggard. His interest in music started as a child singing in church on Sunday morning. It wasn’t until he sang for a project in high

25 • Summer 2015

Above: Cody Wickline posing with some of CU's cheerleaders. Bottom left: Roar and Dr. Boggess snap a photo with the young singer. Bottom right: Cody Wickline in action.

school that he realized, however, his true passion was creating and performing music. He began teaching himself guitar at the age of 16, and by the time he was 17 he was performing every weekend at some event or venue. Now, he is recording his own music and working in Nashville.

Funds from the “Race to Resurface the Track” project will be used to redesign, renovate and resurface the existing track in its present location in Callaghan Stadium on Concord University’s

Athens campus. The uneven and deteriorated state of the current track’s surface is no longer adequate for competition, training or campus and community use. A new track will benefit not only Concord’s athletic teams, but the entire CU community and surrounding area as well.

The improved track at Concord University will be available for use

by Concord students, faculty and staff, the citizens of Athens and the alumni who frequently visit the campus.

The new track will serve as a multi-use venue that will provide for increased training for Mountain Lion athletic teams and offer recreational opportunities to enhance the health and wellness of the Concord campus community and the general public.

For additional information on the “Race to Resurface the Track” project contact the Concord University Foundation at 304-3846056.

Alicia Suka Besenyei

Rejoins Advancement Staff licia Suka Besenyei has rejoined the Concord University Advancement staff. She will be filling the position of Vice President for Advancement.

Besenyei returns to Concord after serving the last year and a half as the Executive Director of The Kyle Group, a small Raleigh County-based company focused on emergency and sports medicine. She previously served as Concord’s Vice President for Advancement from 2012-2013

and Interim Vice President for Advancement 2011-2012. She began working in Advancement in 2009.

Previously, Besenyei worked as an anchor/reporter at regional media outlets. A resident of Daniels, Besenyei received a master’s degree in integrated marketing communications from West Virginia University. She earned a bachelor’s degree in mass communications with a minor in journalism from North Carolina State University.

Casie Coughlin Justice

Named Foundation Executive Director asie Coughlin Justice has been named Executive Director of the Concord University Foundation. She began her duties on May 26, 2015.

“We are pleased to have Casie as part of the Advancement team. She brings knowledge from the legal perspective that we feel will serve the Concord University Foundation well. Casie’s professionalism combined with her compassionate

spirit for Concord fits perfectly with our office,” said Alicia Besenyei, Vice President for Advancement.

Justice has a legal background.

She received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a major in Finance from West Virginia University and a Doctor of Jurisprudence from the West Virginia University College of Law. Summer 2015 • 26

Foundation Holds

Donor Appreciation Dinner

ontributors to scholarships for Concord University students were honored by the Concord University Foundation at the 2015 Donor Appreciation Dinner held on Thursday, April 9 in the Pais Fellowship Hall in University Point.

Student recipients of scholarships also attended the event.

Derek Bonnett ’10 served as guest speaker. A Beckley, W.Va. native, Bonnett majored in business administration with a concentration in accounting at Concord. He received a full fouryear academic scholarship. As a student, he was vice president of the Business Division Investment Club, a member of Alpha Chi Honor Society, a member of Gamma Beta Phi Honor Society and recipient of the Top Investor Award for his activities in the Investment Club. He graduated sum cum laude and was valedictorian of his class.

Bonnett worked for James C. Justice Companies in Beckley as an intern prior to graduating and as a full-time accountant and cash management officer immediately

27 • Summer 2015

Above: Student speaker, Colleen Mays. Below: Special guest speaker, Derek Bonnett '10

after graduation. In November 2011, he passed the exam to become a Certified Public Accountant. Since February 2012, he has worked for Brown Edwards and Company and is currently a senior associate at the accounting firm. Bonnett has also given back to Concord and the community since graduation. He serves as treasurer of the Concord University Foundation and is an active member of the West Virginia Society of CPAs. Colleen Mays, a first generation, nontraditional student, was the student speaker. Mays came to the area from Alabama. She graduated from Pinson Valley High School in 2002 as salutatorian and Most Likely to Succeed. After high school, Mays climbed the corporate ladder at CiCi’s Pizza, Inc. until realizing she needed a college degree. She now attends Concord as a fulltime student majoring in business administration with a concentration in management and accounting.

She is the recipient of several scholarships and maintains a high G.P.A. Her anticipated graduation date is May 2017.

Concord University Vice President for Advancement Alicia Besenyei issued the welcome

and provided an update on the activities of the Foundation.

Concord President Dr. Kendra Boggess recognized special guests.

The invocation was offered by David Kirby ’79, a member of the Foundation’s Board of Directors.

Top left: Judge Robert and Margaret Sayre ’84. Top right: Marilyn and Andrew Booth. Bottom: Whitney and Derek Bonnett ’10, Sandy and David Kirby ’79.

Keeping Up With Concord Social media has allowed people to keep in touch with individuals, groups and activities all across the globe and Concord is using some of these tools to keep its alumni connected to the university and each other.

You can keep up with Concord through any (or all!) of the following outlets:

Facebook: Concord University Alumni Association, Inc.

Twitter: @CampusBeautiful Twitter: @ConcordUAlumni

LinkedIn: Official Concord University Alumni group

Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/

photos/42005172@N02/sets/

Pinterest: Concord University Alumni Association Instagram: ConcordUAlumni

YouTube: CUCATVIDEO

We hope you will take advantage of each of these sites as a quick and easy way to keep up with Concord!

Summer 2015 • 28

The Concord University Foundation

Board of Trustees

The Board of Trustees serves in an advisory capacity to the Board of Directors of the Concord University Foundation. Trustees do not vote in matters of the Foundation, but are encouraged to participate in all of the group’s meetings. Membership on the Board of Trustees has included Concord alumni, emeriti officers and friends of the University.

Dr. Jerry L. Beasley

Dr. Jerry L. Beasley is President Emeritus of Concord University. He served as Concord’s President from 1985 to 2008. Dr. Beasley received his undergraduate degree and his Ed.M. from Harvard University. He earned a Ph.D. from Stanford University. His current civic and community involvement includes volunteer service as the Executive Director of the Hinton Area Foundation and membership on the boards of Princeton Community Hospital and the West Virginia Faculty Merit Foundation. A resident of Athens, W.Va., Dr. Beasley is a lay leader at Concord United Methodist Church.

Dr. Walter E. Klingensmith Dr. Walter E. Klingensmith is a retired surgeon. The son of a Concord professor, Dr. Klingensmith was raised in Athens, W.Va. He is currently a resident of Beckley, W.Va. Dr. Klingensmith received an undergraduate degree from Harvard University and a medical degree from the Harvard Medical School. He completed his surgical residency at Massachusetts General Hospital. He is a former president of the West Virginia Chapter of the American College of Surgeons. His involvement in the community includes service on various church committees.

GiftIdeas

Pine Trees Chapter Offering Ornament The Pine Trees Alumni Chapter is offering the second in a series of CU ornaments. The 2014 ornament features McComas Hall.

These make great gifts and can be a special addition to your own collection of Concord memorabilia.

Ornaments may be purchased for 29 • Summer 2015

$20 each. An additional charge of $5.80 is required for shipping. All proceeds go toward the Pine Trees Scholarship Fund.

Contact pinetreesalumnichapter@ hotmail.com or call 304-384-9457 for more information.

The Concord University Foundation Receives $1.5 Million Gift from the Estate of Lia Pais

he Concord University Foundation, Inc. has received a $1.5 million gift from the estate of Lia Pais. The estate gift is in addition to Pais’ fully funding The John and Lucia Pais Family Fellowship Hall in University Point at Concord University.

The Fellowship Hall is named as a tribute to Lia’s late parents, John Pais and Lucia Vecellio Pais, and family. Since the official dedication of University Point in May 2011, The John and Lucia Pais Family Fellowship Hall has become a popular setting for banquets, conferences, wedding receptions, business meetings, alumni gatherings and other special occasions for Concord University and the community.

“Lia’s gift has given Concord the opportunity to host a number of events in a beautiful setting. We are fortunate Lia thought of Concord and wanted our university to have a space where we could continue to offer events to our alumni, donors and the community,” said Alicia Besenyei, Vice President for Advancement.

The estate gift will be used for maintenance of the Fellowship Hall.

Lia was a 1945 graduate and special friend of Concord. A resident of the Glenwood Park Retirement Village in Princeton, W.Va. at the time of her death, Lia passed away on Jan. 20, 2014.

Born at Switchback, W.Va. on Jan. 9, 1924, she was a graduate of Elkhorn High School and received a bachelor’s degree in education with a major in home economics from Concord. Lia was May Court Queen while a student at Concord.

Lia was formerly employed by the McDowell County Board of Education at Northfork High School. She was also employed

Above: The Pais Family Fellowship Hall prepared for a dinner. Left: The Pais Family Fellowship Hall hosting the 2015 Concord Founders' Day event.

at Pocahontas Fuel Company in Switchback. She retired from Appalachian Power Company with 31 years of service, working 20 years in Welch, W.Va. and 11 years in Bluefield, W.Va. as a home economist.

She was the last surviving member of her immediate family.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by one brother, Aldo Pais in 1944; and one sister, Ida Pais Larese in 1984.

“Lia had a sense of humor and was always fun to be around,” special friend Elizabeth Pruett said.

“She was also very practical and knew exactly what she wanted and wouldn’t settle for less. She was a great friend.”

Although Lia’s career included a stint as a teacher, Pruett said she discovered this wasn’t the job for her.

“While she taught at Northfork for a while, it was not to her liking,” she said.

She ended up at Appalachian Power Company where her talents

for educating took the form of demonstrating appliances for housewives.

“She did parties to demonstrate appliances and often made presentations. One was when electric dryers came out,” Pruett said.

She goes on to tell how Lia’s wit and humor were reflected in the presentation.

“She used the dryer and a clothesline filled with clothes to demonstrate the advantage of the electric dryer. She would have someone behind the curtain and when she gave the word, they would pull down the line and all the clothes would fall off,” she said. “Her punch line then would be ‘with the new electric dryer, this will never happen to you.’”

“She was with Appalachian for a number of years and met many people she still was friends with after retirement,” Pruett said.

“I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to get to know Lia. She was funny, witty and very entertaining. She never wanted any recognition for her gifts but her kindness and generosity should be acknowledged. We are incredibly grateful,” said Besenyei.

Summer 2015 • 30

Leola Hoke Bingham ’44

Shares Love of Music through Scholarship y life has been a wonderful musical experience,” Leola Hoke Bingham ’44 wrote in a letter to the first recipient of a scholarship bearing her name at Concord.

She went on to share how her life had been blessed by music and to wish the student a life also enriched by music.

On a recent spring day, Mrs. Bingham talked about the scholarships she and her late husband, Eugene Bingham, established through the Concord University Foundation.

“Bing and I both did it,” she said.

The scholarships are The Leola Hoke Bingham Music Scholarship Fund and The Eugene B. Bingham Athletic Scholarship Fund.

With scrapbooks piled on her lap, she reminisced about her parents, her life with Bing and how music has been woven throughout. Filled with programs, letters, photographs and other memorabilia from an amazing life nearly a century long, the scrapbooks elicited a cheery narrative from Mrs. Bingham.

“I was on a piano stool from the time I could climb up on it,” Mrs. Bingham said.

Today, at 93 years of age, she continues to share her musical talents, enthusiasm, and love of music with the residents and their families at the retirement community in Sarasota, Fla. where she now makes her home.

Mrs. Bingham’s parents, Eldridge Gott Hoke and Bessie Osborne Hoke, meet in Athens where they both received their education from Concord. Leola, a native of Princeton, W.Va., followed in her mother’s footsteps by pursuing a degree at Concord and later

31 • Summer 2015

establishing a career in music.

“My mother was a piano teacher,” she said.

“I played in her recitals.”

A treasured program from Mrs. Bingham’s scrapbooks is dated May 15, 1944. On that day, she presented a recital with her teacher, Ella Holroyd.

Vice President for Advancement Alicia Besenyei, left, “I did a concerto. She and Alumni Director Sarah Turner ’98, right, visit with Leola Hoke Bingham ’44 in Florida. played the orchestral part on organ,” she a successful career with Lincoln said. The performance National Life Insurance Company. included selections from Chopin As a couple, Mrs. Bingham said and Bach. “I still play the classics,” she and her husband traveled she said. extensively and they visited each of “I studied with Miss Ella the the 50 states in the U.S. whole time I was at Concord,” Mrs. The Binghams lived in several Bingham said. “She encouraged me states and retired in Florida. Mrs. to go to Interlochen.”

Bingham said she taught music The Interlochen Center for the wherever she resided including Arts, a prestigious institution for West Virginia, Virginia, North education in the arts, is located in Carolina, Michigan, Indiana and Interlochen, Mich. Mrs. Bingham Florida. She has also directed also served on the faculty there. choirs for various organizations Continuing her memories and served as organist and minister of Concord, she said, “I sang in of music in churches. Leola recalls the Glee Club. I played with the with special fondness serving as Concord Commanders.” director of the Pensacola Boys She explained that she played Choir. piano with the Commanders Her love of music and her desire because members of the typically and ability to share it with others male jazz group were serving in continues to be vibrant well into World War II at the time. her 90s. Always the teacher, Mrs. She also performed at Bingham says she gives lessons commencement and graduated in to a great-granddaughter of one 1944. of her fellow residents at the Furthering her education, Leola received a master’s degree from the retirement community where she lives. She also lends her talents to University of Michigan. directing a men’s choir and other Eugene Bingham received his singers there and had the honor education at Davidson College. of playing “Happy Birthday” for a Leola said her husband served 100-year-old individual. For her 17 years in the military including contributions she received the during World War II and was an community’s first Performing Arts officer. Afterwards, he established award.

Honoring Parents with Scholarship in Their Names Charles Hall ’62 Provides Educational Opportunity s a way to honor his parents, Charles L. Hall ’62 has established The Ruth and Russel Hall Scholarship Fund at Concord University. While neither of his parents had the opportunity to attend college, Mr. Hall says he hopes the scholarship will allow the recipients “to follow their dreams at ‘The Campus Beautiful.’”

“As the first in my own family to graduate from college, I remember the financial struggle it can be at times,” Mr. Hall said.

His father, Russel Hall, was born in Pikeville, Ky. in 1912. “He was a handsome and brilliant scholar/ athlete at Pikeville High School with the mind of an engineer who came to adulthood just as the Great Depression hit our country.

His hoped for college education was never more than a dream unfortunately as he was forced at an early age to become the only financial provider to his parents and siblings when his father lost everything in the crash,” Charles Hall said of his father.

“If not for the Great Depression, his intellect, his work ethic and his athletic skills would have taken my awesome father on to greater things, of that I am convinced,” he said.

“My mother, Ruth Walkup Hall, was born in 1919 at Crawley, W.Va., one of 16 children working a family farm in Greenbrier County,” Charles said. “A beautiful young woman with an exceptional mind, she could speed read and retain material that was quite amazing to watch.

“She had limited educational opportunities though and dropped out of regular high school with

Left to right: Russel Hall, Ruth Walkup Hall, and Charles '62 and Connie Hall

regret, did domestic work as a young woman and met and married my father in the late 30s near Belle, W.Va.,” he said. “Dad worked for DuPont Chemical at Belle at that time during the war years while his father and brothers were serving in the Navy, as he was left again as the sole family provider to his mother and his new family.

“My parents were frankly wonderful, intelligent, moral people,” Mr. Hall said. The Halls had six children including Charles, his three sisters and his two brothers.

“They gave us a well-grounded principled Christian upbringing, taught us their work ethic, emphasized education as a means to success, and sacrificed much for us in those formative years,” Charles said.

After graduating from Concord, Charles Hall attended University of Maryland Law and rose to top level management with Travelers Insurance Companies and The Royal Insurance Group. He currently serves as owner/CEO/Chairman

of ACH of America, LLC and seven related financial service entities.

Headquartered near Orlando, Fla., ACH of America provides personnel administrative outsourcing services.

He and his wife, Connie, both from West Virginia, married during his senior year at Concord and her freshman year. She has enjoyed a successful career in modeling and advertising.

“Our lives and careers have taken us throughout the world and we have met many of the world’s more important and well known figures,” Charles Hall said. “I can say with assurance that I never met a better man or woman in my lifetime than Russel and Ruth Hall and that is why Connie and I honor my parents with this scholarship fund at Concord University. Connie personally donates to it as well in honor of her late parents, Ruth and Ray Nestor, both Christian native West Virginians.”

“We will never forget our glorious parents and we will never forget Concord University,” he said.

Summer 2015 • 32

33 • Summer 2015

Robert C. Whittinghill

Professor of Physical Education, Emeritus his feature catches up with retired faculty and staff and asks them to update us about their life today while sharing some memories of their days at Concord.

Background My hometown is White Bluff, Tennessee.

I graduated from William James High School in White Bluff and then went on to continue my education at Austin Peay State University. After two years of study I was given a Temporary Teaching Certificate and took my first job teaching in public school. I taught for three years in Dickson County, Tennessee while completing my undergraduate degree.

Following that, I earned a master’s degree at the University of Georgia and pursued additional graduate studies at Middle Tennessee State University.

Forty-seven years ago I met Brenda Womack and we married a few months later. We have two children, a son and a daughter. Our son Craig is a career Naval Officer and is married to Wendy Dubois. They have two children, Thomas and Aubrey. Our daughter Katherine is a marketing director for Salix Pharmaceuticals and is married to Brian Seay.

How long did you work at Concord?

What positions did you hold? What did you teach?

I came to Concord in 1971 as an Instructor of Physical Education and retired in 2006 as a Full Professor. At various times I served as Intramural Director, Chair of the Department of Physical Education, Interim Chair of the Division of Education, and Associate Academic Dean. I taught a wide variety of classes but my primary interest was in the scientific area of human performance. The favorite part of my job was teaching Anatomy and Physiology,

Applied Physiology, and Test and Measurement to the Physical Education students.

What did you find especially rewarding during your time at Concord?

Even though I enjoyed the administrative aspects of my positions, teaching was the thing that I found most rewarding. I came to Concord because of my desire to teach on the college level and I have always been grateful that I was given that opportunity.

The interaction that I had with students in the classroom and out was the reason that I looked forward to going to work most days.

What was the best athletic event you have attended at Concord?

Over the years, I have attended hundreds of athletic events making it impossible to choose a best. Especially during our early years at Concord, athletic events provided many hours of exciting entertainment for me and my family. Football and basketball are my favorite sports, therefore, I have more memories of those sports than others.

The Colobro years in football and the Christie and Cox years in basketball provided many great games and exciting moments for me to remember.

How many Presidents and Deans did you work for?

Presidents included Marsh, Coffindaffer, Rowley, Freeman, and Beasley. Deans included DeBoer, Edge, Willis, Bronsard, Carrier, and Turner. Five Presidents and six Deans over a period of 35 years.

Opposite page: Brenda and Bob Whittinghill

Summer 2015 • 34

What offices did you hold, what committees did you serve on, and what organizations were you involved in while at Concord? What honors and awards did you receive from Concord?

I served on a number of faculty committees during my tenure, however, there are two that I consider most important. I served on the Faculty Senate for a number of years and was Vice President during one term. The Faculty Senate was a very important part of the College’s life because it dealt with all matters of vital importance to the institution.

I was also elected to represent Concord on the State Faculty Advisory Council. The Advisory Council elected me to serve as its chair for one term. As the Chair of the Council, I was also a member of the State College Board of Directors. This gave me a great opportunity to learn more about how the State System worked.

Are you, and if so, how are you staying connected with students?

I have no formal way of staying in contact with past students, however, I see and interact with many of them informally.

Several of my former students are employed as teachers and/or coaches in Mercer and several other surrounding counties. I see some of them at various activities on campus and around the local area. I also keep up with a few past students with occasional phone calls, Christmas cards, and visits.

How are you involved in the life of the University today?

I am not actively involved with the University. I do attend athletic events and other programs on campus.

Where do you live now? What are some of your activities, interests as a retiree?

What hobbies, projects, community service, and civic organizations are you involved with now?

We live in Athens where we appreciate the advantages of living in a small college town. We are members of Concord United Methodist Church where we attend regularly and participate in their many activities. Through the church, we volunteer a few hours a month at the Parish Clothes Closet and Food Pantry. I am a member of the Athens Lions Club and am involved with many of their projects.

Brenda and I like to travel. We have visited all 50 states and have done some international travel. Many of our trips in the United States involve visiting National Parks. At last count, we have visited 59 National Parks and Monuments.

I enjoy all types of outdoor activities including hiking, fishing, etc., however, I admit that taking up golf in the last three years has taken most of my leisure time.

DID YOU KNOW? Concord University’s mission is to provide a quality education, to foster scholarly activities, and to serve the regional community. The mission is summed up in the words of former President J. Franklin Marsh Sr.: “Come to Learn. Go to Serve.” This has become a Concord motto.

For more on Concord traditions, please visit http://www.concord.edu/advancement/concord-pride-our-traditions 35 • Summer 2015

COME TO LEARN. GO TO SERVE.

Teacher Education Programs NATIONALLY ACCREDITED

oncord University recently received notification of accreditation of its teacher education programs through 2020 under the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) Standards. NCATE’s performance-based accreditation system for teacher preparation ensures that teacher candidates are prepared to make a difference in P-12 student learning.

Concord was recognized for being at “target” on Standard 3 - Field Experiences and Clinical Practice. The Board of Examiners report stated, “Faculty members in the unit and candidates benefit from exemplary collaborations and partnerships with school districts.”

“Accreditation from NCATE ensures that the teacher education programs at Concord prepare educators who have the knowledge, skills and dispositions necessary to become effective teachers and administrators,” Dr. Richard Druggish, Division of Education Chair and Director of Teacher Education, said. “Accreditation also means that Concord offers the highest quality instruction and programs. The success of our accreditation visit rests in the essential collaboration among the teacher education faculty, the arts

and sciences faculty, Concord’s administration, and the faculty and administrators of our public school partners.”

Concord University offers 19 initial and advanced programs that lead to the Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Special Education, Elementary Education and Secondary Education with a content specialization, and graduate degrees including the M.Ed. in Reading Specialist, Educational Leadership and Special Education and a Master of Arts in Teaching.

At the initial level, Concord prepares candidates to teach in elementary, middle and secondary schools as well as Pre-K – K and special education classrooms.

Approximately 100 undergraduate candidates and approximately 30 graduate candidates are recommended for certification each year. The Division of Education at Concord University includes 14 faculty members.

Providers accredited under NCATE standards, as well as those accredited under the Teacher Education Accreditation Council, (TEAC) Quality Principles, are now served by the single specialized accreditation system for educator preparation in the United States, the Council for the Accreditation of

Educator Preparation (CAEP). More than 900 educator preparation providers participate in the CAEP accreditation system.

For more information about Concord University visit www.concord.edu Additional information about CAEP is located at http://caepnet.org/

The teacher education programs at Concord University are accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), www.ncate.org. This accreditation covers the initial teacher preparation programs and the advanced programs at Concord.

However, the accreditation does not include individual education courses that the institution offers to P-12 educators for professional development, relicensure, or other purposes.

The Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (www.CAEPnet.org) advances excellence in educator preparation through evidencebased accreditation that assures quality and supports continuous improvements to strengthen P-12 student learning.

Shop to Support Concord

through AmazonSmile Program

mazonSmile is a website operated by Amazon that lets customers enjoy the same wide selection of products, low prices, and convenient shopping features as on Amazon.com. The difference is that when customers shop on AmazonSmile (smile.amazon.com), the AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5 percent of the price of eligible purchases to the

charitable organizations selected by customers.

You shop. Amazon gives.

When you shop at http://smile.amazon.com, Amazon donates to your favorite charitable organization. And of course, that organization is the Concord University Foundation, Inc. It’s easy to give.

Choose Concord University Foundation, Inc. as your

organization of choice and shop ‘til you drop. Then, 0.5 percent of every eligible purchase benefits Concord.

It is a very small percentage, but with the amount of sales volume that Amazon does, it could add up quickly.

It’s just another way to support the programs, mission and scholarships at Concord University!

Summer 2015 • 36

Faculty: Beyond the Classroom Adjunct Instructor Volunteering in Peru

With United States Peace Corps

Editor’s Note: The following article was written by Janet Millard '13 in May 2015 at the beginning of her 11-week Peace Corps training and immersion in Peru. ello from the community of Yanacoto in beautiful Peru! Yanacoto is a part of the district of Lima, the capital city of Peru. It’s about two hours by car, but a world away from the bustling capital. In Lima you can find anything you might want or need for your life outside the U.S. Here in Yanacoto, though, we have our own kind of bustle; street dogs barking 24/7, roosters crowing at 3 a.m., and the ever-present mototaxis beeping and gunning their engines as they slowly crawl up the long hill into town. We have only tiny stores, called bodegas, to satisfy our immediate needs. Right now I’m craving one of the large sweet avocados, called paltas, that are grown here, and I’m in need of a bottle of the powdered detergent I’ll be using to hand-wash my clothes later. I can purchase both of these at the bodega a short stroll away from my house.

What am I doing in Peru, you ask? After a lengthy application process, which included an interview in Washington, D.C., a thorough legal and medical evaluation, and a nail-biting wait of nearly a year, I’m proud to report that this Adjunct Instructor of Business and Concord alum

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Left: Janet at the Plaza de Armas. Right: Delicious mandarinas at the local market.

(Spanish 2013) is in Peru for a two year assignment as part of the United States Peace Corps.

I’m sure most of you know that the Peace Corps is a government agency, founded by President Kennedy in 1961, that sends trained volunteers to countries all over the world. Right now, the Peace Corps has almost 7,000

volunteers working in 64 countries.

Its mission is to promote peace, friendship and cultural exchange through sustainable community development between the United States and developing countries.

In Peru, the Peace Corps has about 190 volunteers working in five different programs.

Volunteers work on environmental,

Left: The training center is in beautiful Chaclacayo. Right: Typical Yanacoto backyard.

sanitation and hygiene activities, in community health and youth development, and in the Community and Economic Development program. This last is the program that I’ll be working in, after my training has been completed.

That’s where I am now, in training with the latest group of volunteers to arrive in Peru.

We’re a young group, as are most Peace Corps trainees. Eighty-nine percent of volunteers in Peru are in their 20s. Only one percent are at the other end of the spectrum, in their mid-50s or older, like me.

It makes training seem a bit like summer camp, but you can’t beat the energy generated by a bunch of 25 year olds! We’re known as Peru 25, because we’re the 25th group

of volunteers to work in Peru since 1962. The Peace Corps left Peru in the 70s, due to political unrest, but was invited back in 2002 and now has volunteers in 11 of Peru’s 23 departments.

After 11 weeks of intensive language and cultural training together, as well as specific program training, our group will be split up and sent to various sites in Peru, to integrate and work with members of the community on sustainable community activities. Each community will get only one or two volunteers, because the point of the Peace Corps experience is to integrate with the community, to spend two years of our lives living and working as a part of our new community.

The Community and Economic

Above two photos: Dancers from Cuzco, Peru in Lima.

Janet Millard Adjunct Instructor of Business Concord Alum (Spanish 2013) Summer 2015 • 38

View from Janet's house in Yanacoto, Peru. A very long hill to walk.

Development Program in Peru is particularly focused on helping to develop business skills in women and youth. Many women in the developing regions of Peru are unable to leave their homes to work at a job during the day. Besides the sheer lack of employment, there is a cultural expectation that women stay in the home to look after the children. Nevertheless, these women would often like to do something to bring income to their families. The women are often unable to start a profitable business because they don’t have enough money for the initial purchase of needed items.

Community and Economic Development (CED) volunteers are taught the basics of micro-finance, and if there is interest in the community, will assist community members in opening a community lending bank. In this way, women can obtain the small loans that would be otherwise unavailable to them.

CED volunteers might also teach classes in entrepreneurship, finance or marketing to local high school youth, and are available to assist any small business with the marketing of their product.

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All that’s in the future for me though. Nine weeks in the future to be exact. I’ve just finished the first two exhausting weeks of training and immersion. Immersion is a big part of Peace Corps training.

Each trainee (we’re not actually called volunteers until we’ve completed the 11 weeks training and are sworn in) lives with a host family during their 11 weeks of training, stumbling over Spanish words, eating the local food and integrating as much as possible into community life. In Peru, that means cold showers, washing clothes by hand and eating lots of potatoes and rice. Oh, and you need to learn to kill scorpions, because they have scorpions here. In the bathrooms. I was greeted by one within minutes of entering my host family’s house.

After staring at it for a shocked second, I calmly pulled off my shoe and gave it a whack. After all, I’m in the Peace Corps now, and that’s the way we do things!

Top: Washing clothes the Peace Corps way...by hand. Center: Janet's 11 weeks of training include an intensive language and culture course. Bottom: Plaza de Armas, Lima.

Art Educators Alum Returns to Campus

with High School Art Students

group of Graham High School (Bluefield, Va.) art students visited Concord University’s Art Department in January. The visit was a collaborative effort between Holly Woods ’12, Graham High School art teacher, and the Concord University Art Department.

During their visit, the students were given a guided tour of the art studios located in the Alexander Fine Arts building. They were also given the opportunity to view various demonstrations including pottery and graphic design.

Jamey Biggs, associate professor, demonstrated his skill as a potter by throwing a large pot on the pottery wheel and discussing the Ceramics Program. Assistant Professor Kevin Bennington ’00 talked about the Graphic Design Program and

showed past student work from all of the different graphic design classes. He also shared some of his own interactive work with the group.

The students enjoyed lunch in the cafeteria and were given a tour of the campus by the Admissions Office. Their visit was concluded by learning about aesthetics and the Art Education Program. Associate Professor Dr. Lauri Reidmiller led a hands-on art lesson with the students. They worked in teams to create sculptures out of ice.

Each team was given specific criteria and principles of design that they had to incorporate into their sculpture. The students were very involved in the creative process and had to use cooperation and their problem solving skills to complete their sculptures. After the groups

This colorful sculpture is one of the Graham High School art students’ creations.

completed their sculptures they were asked to present them and explain how their piece fulfilled the requirements.

Concord Chapter Attends National Conference in New Orleans

r. Lauri Reidmiller, associate professor of art, and members of the Concord University National Art Education Chapter attended the National Art Education Association annual conference in New Orleans in March. During the conference, the group attended a selection of presentations and hands-on workshops. The trip also gave them the opportunity to learn the latest advances in teaching resources, classroom supplies and techniques.

During their trip, the group visited the New Orleans Museum of

Art, St. Louis Cathedral, and the French Quarter.

Many also enjoyed sampling the Louisiana Creole cuisine including crayfish and alligator.

Students in attendance included Della Allen, Megan Ray, Emily Lively, Jaclyn Smith and Concord alum Kimberly Sexton ’14.

Above: Sightseeing in the French Quarter is part of the trip. Below: The itinerary includes a museum visit.

Summer 2015 • 40

Alpha Sigma Tau

Greek life is an important part of the college experience for many Concord students. Bonds that are formed between brothers and sisters remain strong and continue to thrive as students become alumni. “Greek Spotlight” is dedicated to CU’s fraternities and sororities.

Purpose Alpha Sigma Tau promotes the ethical, cultural, and social development of its members, specifically: • to develop the character of each member through a study of ethics so that she will show in all her relationships sincerity, honesty, love and understanding; • to help each member enjoy the cultural advantages in life so that she will know how to select those things which are most worthwhile; and • to develop in each member the social graces to the extent that she will be able to take her place in life with true dignity and poise.

History Alpha Sigma Tau National Sorority (Alpha Chapter) was founded by eight women in Ypsilanti, Michigan on November 4, 1899, at then Michigan State Normal College (now Eastern Michigan University).

The Beta Chapter of the sorority was established in 1905 at now Central Michigan University, and by April 1926, the Sorority had achieved membership in the Association of Education Sororities, which later merged with the National Panhellenic Conference in 1951. The Sorority is now headquartered in Indianapolis, IN.

41 • Summer 2015

2015

Alpha Sigma Taus celebrating the newest members to the Omicron Chapter.

2014

The Omicron Chapter enjoying the holiday season together.

Alpha Sigma Tau Facts • •

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Founded: November 4, 1899 Location of Founding: The Michigan State Normal School, now Eastern Michigan University, in Ypsilanti, Michigan Founded at Concord: May 31, 1930 Colors: Emerald green and gold

Alpha Sigma Tau crest

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Vision: Beauty of Spirit. Fulfillment of Self.

Exceptional Sisterhood.

Open Motto: Active, Self-reliant, Trustworthy Symbol: The Anchor Core Values: Intellect, Excellence, Graciousness, Respect, and Connections Greek letters: AΣT

Alpha Sigma Tau symbol: The Anchor

Graduating Class

The Concord University Alpha Sigma Tau class of 2015.

Above: Alpha Sigma Tau during Bid Night 2014.

Take Me Out To the Ballgame

Below: The Alpha Sigma Taus posing for a photo during the 2015 Spring Greek Week.

Alpha Sigma Tau alumnae enjoying a night at the ballpark in Charleston last summer.

For more information on Alpha Sigma Tau please visit alphasigmatau.org or visit www.facebook.com/astomicron?fref=ts.

Summer 2015 • 42

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‘Sense of Community’ Makes Concord a Special Place for Close-Knit George Family or siblings Whitney George Courtney ’99, Shelley George ’01, and Scott George ’04, following in their father Steve George’s footsteps to Concord was influenced by his love for the school.

“Our dad always spoke fondly of his time at Concord, and I think the three of us were drawn to the college in a special way when it was time to select a school,” Shelley said.

Steve George graduated from Concord in 1974 with a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education with a Specialization in Mathematics. He retired from Arch Coal, Inc. after working in the coal industry for 37 years in West Virginia and Virginia. Steve and his wife, Sallie George, live in St. Augustine, Fla. “My time as a student at Concord was great fun,” Steve said.

“I thoroughly enjoyed my math classes with professors Jack Johnson and Mary Edna Beckett and my interaction with Dr. Covey and Dean of Students Kevin O’Sullivan. I spent many hours at Pipestem playing golf with friends and working in the pro shop, and loved going to The Sweet Shop a few times a week.

“I found it amazing that our three kids all decided to attend Concord, and that was really neat to me, as I had such a great collegiate experience there and was thrilled that they chose to continue the legacy,” he said.

“I was so thankful that all three of our children chose to attend Concord, and I truly feel that the foundation they received at the college significantly contributed to their success in medical/graduate school and in their careers,” Sallie

43 • Summer 2015

The George Family gathers at Pipestem during Concord's 2013 Homecoming.

Shown from left are: Steve George, Shelley George, Dan Blednick, Mackenzie Courtney, Scott George, Savannah Courtney, Ryan Courtney, Sallie George, Cole Courtney, and Whitney Courtney.

George said. “It was a joy to be able to attend their golf tournaments, sorority events, and other special occasions over the years.

“Although I graduated from another university, I have always felt a wonderful connection to Concord through my husband and children, and in many ways, I feel like an honorary alumnus,” she said.

Whitney explains that the George Family considers Sallie an honorary alum of Concord “because of her love and devotion to the school throughout the years.”

The George children treasure their time together at Concord.

“I was so fortunate to have my two siblings, Shelley and Scott, attend and graduate from Concord College, and we have always shared great memories from our time on ‘The Campus Beautiful,’” Whitney said.

Shelley agrees and says, “I was

so fortunate to be able to attend Concord while my sister Whitney and my brother Scott were students, as well.”

Sadly, Scott passed away on March 27 of this year.

“Our sweet brother and son, Scott, loved his time at Concord, especially his experiences as a four-year member of the golf team,” Shelley said on behalf of her family. “From practicing on the links with his teammates and friends at Pipestem and competing in the NCAA Division II National Tournament to playing at St. Andrew’s in Scotland and being inducted into Concord’s Athletic Hall of Fame, Scott achieved great accolades, but his humble nature and kind spirit defined him. He felt his academic foundation from Concord greatly benefitted him during his internship at The Greenbrier and in his career. Scott

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Scott golfing in Hawaii

also had great fun keeping the books for the men’s basketball team at Concord,” she said.

Scott received a Bachelor of Science in Recreation and Tourism Management from Concord. He had recently completed 10 years of service with the PGA tour at Ponte Vedra, Fla. at the time of his death.

He was a resident of Jacksonville Beach, Fla. Shelley and Whitney share some memories from their Concord days.

“Some of my best memories at Concord were spent with my Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority sisters (especially the annual Homecoming Week and Greek Week, as well as being on the Homecoming Court in my senior year), watching baseball games, and building an academic and professional portfolio through the Communication Arts department. I also had a blast studying abroad in Belize and in England. The education I received was amazing, and I see Concord as a place that empowers, challenges, and supports students through opportunities of experiential learning,” Shelley said.

She received a Bachelor of

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“I truly loved my four years as a student at Concord College,” Whitney said. “I sincerely feel that the education that I received at Concord prepared me well for the rigorous curriculum and challenges of medical school. Many of my fondest memories come from studying in the library with biology classmates, preparing for upcoming exams.

“I was fortunate enough to be able to travel to Belize in the summer of 1997 with Dr. Sheppard and many other biology classmates which was such an incredible experience. I felt that I could go in and talk with any of my professors at any time, and they were always available for advice and guidance,” she said.

“I was honored to be a member of the Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority during my four years at Concord… such wonderful memories of Sunday night meetings in the lodge, living on the 8th floor of Towers dormitory, eating meals together in the cafeteria, attending formals, lip sync, homecoming...these are memories I will cherish forever,” she said.

Whitney received a Bachelor of Science degree in Pre-Professional Biology. She continued her education at the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine in Lewisburg, W.Va., graduating in 2003, and completed a Family Medicine Residency at United Hospital Center in Bridgeport W.Va. in 2006. Whitney is currently an attending faculty physician as well as the Osteopathic Family Medicine Program Director and Osteopathic

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Director of Medical Education at United Hospital Center. She lives in Bridgeport.

The George Family remains involved in the life of their alma mater.

“The Alumni Association has provided great opportunities to stay connected. Our family has been back to Homecoming events on campus over the years, and we have also attended regional alumni gatherings in Florida and New York City. Any time we find ourselves close to Athens, we love to drive through campus,” Shelley said.

That special connection with Concord has been especially evident in recent days for this close-knit family.

“Since Scott's recent passing, our family has genuinely appreciated all of the love and support from Concord folks on campus, around the U.S., and abroad,” Shelley said.

“The sense of community extends beyond the four years spent there as a student, as we have experienced.

We cherish each moment together, and we honor Scott’s legacy by encouraging others to do the same.”

The three George siblings at the beach in Florida Summer 2015 • 44

What was your favorite summer experience during your time at Concord?

I’ve often said that when I go to Concord I begin getting younger as I pass Melrose Square and then I’m transported back to those magical summers when I could attend Concord, on campus. The walks through the pines from Sarvay Hall to the Library, the Student Union, and the President’s office where I did work study one summer. There was a different piney smell, a freshness and gaiety in the air, and in the evening there was always music on the piano in the Hall at Sarvay where we could listen and imagine dancing, or sometimes get someone to go with me to the Sweet Shop across the road. Those memories are treasures so very dear and so delicate as I age that I fear they’ll be lost in the telling, but I sometimes long for just one more day spent at Concord.

- Adda Leah (Addie) Davis '74 My favorite summer experience was falling in love with my now husband. I walked into Summer Spanish class and saw this guy with beautiful eyes. Allen Smith eventually introduced me to Josh Mills, and 10 years and a beautiful daughter later we are still going strong.

- Kelly Holdren-Mills '06 My favorite times were when the WVGA held two week Geography institutes, welcoming nearly 30 teachers each summer on the campus. The participants were involved in classroom activities as well as field trips. I met some interesting people and enjoyed being on staff. It was like Christmas for the teachers at the conclusion of the two weeks. We gave out loads of usable materials to use when they returned to their classrooms. The institutes began around 1993 and lasted for six years.

Concord was a terrific facility to serve as the host for teachers from all regions of West Virgina.

- Linda Poff '76

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I did Energy Express in Wyoming County every summer. It was an awesome experience!!

- Shannon Walls Drown '03 Summer of '92 I took both summer sessions to get in my biology requirements from Dr. Bayless.

Spent several evenings playing volleyball in the valley or over at Pipestem taking advantage of the Concord discount on putt putt with Kathy Fisher Casto, Monica O'DellFranklin, Mary Gardner to name a few...

Great memories!

- Meleah Fisher '94 I loved my summer internship with the American Federation of TeachersWV Chapter during the summer of 1998. I made lifelong friendships, was mentored by great professionals and attended their National Conference in New Orleans where President Clinton gave the keynote speech.

- Amy Wentz Berner '98 Worked my @$! off over the summer so I could go back in the fall. Worked 12 to 15 hour days 7 days a week on the blueberry farm. Only time off was if it rained too hard to work. It was all good as I got out with only $2000 in student debt.

- George Cosier Jr. '77 Tri-Sigma Convention at Disney!

Such a great road trip with my Alpha Alpha chapter sisters and an overall wonderful experience with the national organization.

- Lauren Manning '13 In summer school one year, the TriSigma’s and Delta Zeta's were put on the same dorm floor, resulting in new and fast friendships. Another summer, I went to Huntington, shared an apartment with my sister, and took

German at Marshall, since we didn't offer it at Concord.

- Carol Zika '68 Coming back to visit friends attending summer school!

- Karen Hefner Montgomery ‘86 I spent my first two years volunteering and acting in the theater at Concord.

Since I enjoyed it so much, I joined Kelly Holdren-Mills in helping a theater group in Charleston, WV put on a series of short plays the summer between those two years. That evening, a few of the guys from Concord's theater came to watch, and they recognized us. After the shows, we hung out to chat with the guys and I ended up giving one of them my phone number. This year, that guy and I share our nine year wedding anniversary.

- Andrea Kibler Maxwell ‘06 In 1995 I traveled to London with Mr. Wells and other students for a summer program. It was hands down one of the best things I've done. Concord even PROVIDED grant money for each of us. It was affordable and I'll never have a chance to travel to Europe that affordably again. I'd enroll in that class again if I could.

- Karen Applegate Dailey ‘98

Belize summer trips with Dr. Sheppard and Mr. Davis.

- Lethea Gibson Smith ‘96

Question for the next issue: How did you meet your first friend at Concord?

Marv Jarrell '03 and Carrie Wyrick '05 with Roar at the Carnegie Museums of Art and Natural History in Pittsburgh, PA.

Roar hanging with Dennis Hurley, Jr. '70 and his wife Keli, along with Concord alumni at the Charlotte, NC area alumni gathering.

Roar took a road trip to Airborne and Special Operations Museum in Fayetteville, NC with Dennis Hurley '70.

Mike ’72 and Rose ’68 Kessinger recently visited Austria to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the liberation of his father as a POW from Stalag 17B during World War II. In this photo, they were accompanied by Roar in Vienna, Austria at the Schönbrunn Palace.

TAKE ROAR WITH YOU! Show us where you’ve taken Roar! Find your cut out of Roar on page 82 of this magazine.

Summer 2015 • 46

Geology Program Awarded Grant for Research in Arctic

he environmental geoscience program at Concord University has been awarded a competitive research grant from the American Chemical Society Petroleum Research Fund. The three-year study will examine how geological faults begin to grow and connect into structures that can support large earthquakes. The work will take place at a field site in western Greenland.

At this site, a geological fault zone that was once active many miles below the surface of the Earth has been gradually uplifted so that it is now exposed at Earth’s surface. The funding from the grant will allow Concord students to travel to the site during the summer over the next three years and participate in collection of field data. The site is located on a remote island in the Davis Strait above the Arctic Circle and will be accessed with helicopter and sea support.

During the academic year, the students will examine tiny mineral grains from samples collected from the field site using Concord’s electron microprobe laboratory on campus. The mineral data are critical to the success of the study and will allow the researchers to determine how deep the fault was when it formed and how much frictional heat it generated when it was actively moving.

The $70,000 grant, entitled “Influence of Anisotropy on

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(Clockwise starting at top) Exposures of granulite gneiss terrane at Ikertoq fjord, western Greenland.

Dynamic Rupture During Incipient Fault Zone Development,” was awarded to Dr. Joseph Allen, Professor of Geology at Concord University, who will serve as principal investigator for the study.

Concord University geology student Luke Stevens taking field measurements in 2013 (now M.S. student in marine geology at East Carolina University).

Pseduotachylyte injection vein (black vein extending above coin). The vein was generated as partially molten liquid escaped from an adjacent fault plane that underwent frictional melting during transient earthquake slip.

Dr. Timothy Corrigan

Featured on Cover of Science and Research Journal

ssistant Professor of Physics Dr. Timothy Corrigan is the cover feature for the Winter 2015 issue of The Neuron. The journal is a quarterly publication of the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission’s Division of Science and Research.

Dr. Corrigan’s research with ways of improving bioassays is discussed in the article “Sometimes the Best Things Come in Nano Packages.”

“Bioassays are frequently used to test for the presence or concentration of infectious agents or antibodies,” Dr. Corrigan explains.

“For example, a pharmaceutical company may test for the presence of antibodies to determine the effectiveness of a new drug.”

Dr. Corrigan is currently experimenting with quantum dots as part of the research. He has been assisted in his study by Matthew Kessinger, an undergraduate

Concord University Assistant Professor of Physics Dr. Timothy Corrigan is the cover feature for the Winter 2015 issue of The Neuron.

research assistant. Mr. Kessinger made the quantum dots, a procedure he learned in a research internship last summer.

Quantum dots are tiny, semiconductor particles that when illuminated by light, glow a specific color.

Dr. Corrigan’s research is made possible by a $125,000 PUI Incubator Grant funded by the National Science Foundation and subawarded by the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission’s Division of Science and Research. Preliminary work to develop the grant proposal was funded by Concord’s Research Trust Fund grant.

Dr. Michael Norton of Marshall University is a collaborator on the project, and has been awarded an additional $13,000.

To read an online version of the article visit http://wvresearch. org/archives/category/library/ the-neuron-west-virginia-journal-ofscience-and-research

Earth Science Honor Society Founded

he Environmental Geosciences program at Concord University has founded the Theta Theta Chapter of Sigma Gamma Epsilon (SGE), the National Honor Society for the Earth Sciences.

SGE was founded in 1915 and is the oldest academic honor society in the United States. SGE strives for the scholastic, scientific, and professional advancement of its

members and works to develop a network of colleges and universities nationwide that are devoted to the advancement of the Earth Sciences.

This year is significant to Concord because the chapter was founded on the centennial of the society at its National Conference held March 27-29, 2015. Two of the founding members of Concord’s chapter, Savannah Ballengee and Addison Hostetler, represented Concord

University at the conference, at which time the Theta Theta chapter was officially installed.

Founding members of the Concord chapter include Savannah Ballengee (President), Matthew Merson (Vice President), Addison Hostetler (Secretary), Suzanne Skeldon (Treasurer), Daniel Lilly, Michael Green, Sierra Foust, and Jeffery Dalton. Dr. Joseph L. Allen serves as advisor for the chapter.

Summer 2015 • 48

BECKLEY UPDATE

Stuff the Bus

Donates School Supplies to Wyoming County CHILDREN

epresentatives of Concord University’s Stuff the Bus campaign delivered school supplies to the Wyoming County Board of Education office in Pineville, W.Va. on Friday, May 1. Mr. Frank Blackwell, superintendent of Wyoming County Schools, accepted the donation.

Coordinated by Concord’s Beckley campus, Stuff the Bus provides classroom basics from pencils, notebooks and pens, to crayons, colored pencils and backpacks for students in need.

This is the third year Concord has participated in the project.

Mr. Blackwell said he was pleased with the donations and stated that the supplies would be available to students immediately since there were nearly two months remaining in the school year at the time of the donation.

Along with donations from Concord students, faculty and staff, Stuff the Bus receives generous community support from individuals, organizations and area businesses. The items donated to the Wyoming County children were purchased with donations from Stuff the Bus fundraisers and previous events.

School children from Raleigh, Summers and Fayette counties have benefited from the donations since

49 • Summer 2015

Participating in the Stuff the Bus presentation at the Wyoming County Board of Education office are, from left, Tara Taylor '95, Stuff the Bus organizer; Pam Wallace '15, Stuff the Bus organizer; Concord’s mascot Roar; Mr. Frank Blackwell, superintendent, Wyoming County Schools; Deirdre Cline '86, assistant superintendent, elementary, Wyoming County Schools; and, Dr. Peter Viscusi, Concord University vice president and academic dean.

Dr. Susan Williams '91, interim director of Concord University’s Beckley Campus, and CU mascot Roar help deliver Stuff the Bus donations to the Wyoming County Board of Education office.

the beginning of the school year in August 2014.

Donations are now being collected at Concord’s Athens and Beckley campuses, with two large collection dates for the upcoming school year scheduled at the Beckley Walmart on Friday, July 31 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. and on Saturday, Aug. 1 from 12 noon to 3 p.m. Business sponsorship levels are also available.

The supplies collected will be donated to additional children in southern West Virginia.

For more information on Stuff the Bus, contact Pam Wallace at beckley@concord.edu or 304-3845612.

Concord University’s mascot Roar visits with Wyoming County Superintendent of Schools Mr. Frank Blackwell at the school board office.

Beckley Students

Assist with Earth Day Races

tudents from Concord University’s Beckley campus volunteered again this year with the Raleigh County Solid Waste Authority’s annual Earth Day Go for the Green10K and 5K races on Saturday, April 25. The students also sponsored a Fun Run for children. The races were held at the Woodrow Wilson High School track in Beckley, W.Va. This is the fourth year Concord students have assisted with the event according to Concord sociology instructor Lori Pace. She said organizers of the competition, now in its fourth year, consider the Concord students’ volunteer efforts

Bus full of CU volunteers ready to be placed along route to flag the 10K.

an important part of its success.

Information and registration sheets for the Fun Run were provided to every elementary school in Raleigh County. Each

child in the Fun Run received a participation ribbon. Hollywood Elementary took home the traveling trophy for sending the most students to the event.

Beckley is on Facebook!

Keep up with events, campus activities, volunteer opportunities and lots more at the Erma Byrd Higher Education Center.

Facebook - Concord Beckley Student Services

Summer 2015 • 50

Alumni

Entrepreneurs

In conjunction with the launch of Concord’s Entrepreneurship Initiative in 2013, the Alumni Magazine includes this regular feature that spotlights successful entrepreneurs within our alumni ranks.

Kevin Given ’89

For these individuals business is thriving and their stories pay tribute to the knowledge and know-how they gained from a Concord education.

Career in the Hospitality Industry Leads to Exclusive Vero Beach Club s a teenager, Kevin Given worked at the world renowned resort hotel, The Greenbrier.

“I worked in numerous departments from age 14 – caddie, kitchen, golf course, food and beverage server, culinary, housekeeping, front desk, horse stables, etc.,” he said.

The Greenbrier is located in Kevin’s hometown of White Sulphur Springs, W.Va. His interest in the hospitality industry continued with his choice of a major at Concord. He graduated in 1989 with a degree in hotel and tourism management and a minor in business administration. His career in the field has been marked by increasing success.

Early in his career, Kevin worked for resorts in locations such as St. Croix, St. Thomas and the Grand Tetons. He ventured into the private club realm when he assisted in the opening of a club on Gasparilla Island, Fla. The hotel business then

51 • Summer 2015

took him to Santa Fe and the island of Lanai.

Moving again to work with private clubs, he achieved success in top management and later in development positions in Florida and South Carolina.

Mr. Given teamed up with business partner Steve Mulvey in 2001 to envision, develop and manage Quail Valley Golf Club & River Club in Vero Beach, Fla. He currently serves as Quail Valley’s Managing Partner.

Quail Valley is known for its uniqueness in Florida from the architecture of the clubhouse and construction of the golf course to the superb service, hospitality, sense of community among members and teamwork of the staff.

The exclusive club features two campuses. The golfing aspect of Quail Valley offers members a splendid 18-hole course along with a learning center, practice range, and exquisite shinnecock-style clubhouse.

Kevin Given '89

At the River Club amenities range from the fitness center, spa and pool to the tennis courts, boathouse, marina and guest house. Options for dining at the River Club include the waterfront dining room, a pub and grille, poolside patio terrace, tiki bar and garden terrace. (To learn more visit www.quailvalleygolfclub.com) Both settings have witnessed growth and the Quail Valley

Top: The Quail Valley Golf Club in Vero Beach, Florida. Center: The Quail Valley River Club marina. Bottom: Artist rendering of Quail Valley expansion featuring restaurant and hotel.

operation is expanding into a third site in Vero Beach. The waterfront location will feature a restaurant and luxury hotel for members and their guests.

Mr. Given’s quest for excellence and his drive to succeed are summed up in his business philosophy: “If it’s morally correct and physically possible, figure out a way to say ‘Yes.’” In describing how his Concord education has helped him in his career, he said, “College degrees are desired in today’s business world not only to establish your ability to focus and achieve things during your first years of independence,

but college/university begins the process of shaping your views for the challenges that lie ahead.

“Most importantly, I believe you realize that everyone does not think the same way as you and in order to be successful, you need to be flexible, demonstrate the ability to compromise and be ever-adaptable in a fast changing business world,” he said.

He goes on to explain his affinity for the hospitality industry.

“The hospitality industry allows you the opportunity to meet many people from varying backgrounds – many entrepreneurs who have become very successful but also

many individuals who are just starting in their careers,” he said.

“The people interactions they will encounter are so important and critical for them to develop social skills and the ability to make things happen.”

Along with his success as an entrepreneur, Mr. Given is also known for his philanthropic endeavors, most notably his founding of and work with Quail Valley Charities.

The non-profit organization’s annual fundraiser – The Charity Cup Week – supports non-profit organizations that are committed to education and enrichment for children in Indian River County.

Originating with the Charity Cup Golf Tournament, this popular event with Quail Valley members as well as the community has grown into a weeklong fundraising celebration.

Along with the golf tournament, competitions are also held for tennis and bridge. Walks and runs, an art show, dining events, a shopping day and the grand gala are also on the schedule.

This year, 33 charities benefited from the Thirteenth Annual Charity Cup Week held in January. More than $4 million has been donated during the past 13 years.

Mr. Given shares his motivation for giving back to the community.

“I feel blessed. I firmly believe that hard work creates tremendous opportunity but I also know that many people along the way have helped me immensely – family, friends peers, etc. – in achieving professional goals. I feel an obligation to not only give back to the community but it’s contagious when you can get others involved in assisting people, programs in their life endeavors,” he said.

Mr. Given’s community and civic involvement also includes membership in the Indian River County Chamber of Commerce and the Club Managers Association of America (1992). He serves as a board member for the Indian River Community Foundation and the Environmental Learning Center.

Summer 2015 • 52

hree Concord alums are showcasing their talents for one of southern West Virginia’s premier fundraising events.

The dancing duo of Jessica Schueler ’09 and Allen Smith’05, under the direction of choreographer Choskie Harmon ’07, will take the stage for the United Way of Southern West Virginia’s Dancing with the Stars on Sept. 18.

Setting for the popular gala is the Beckley-Raleigh County Convention Center in Beckley, W.Va. Being selected to participate in Dancing with the Stars is an honor that carries with it a big commitment of time and energy to ultimately offer a captivating performance while raising money for the cause along the way. But, according to these Concord grads, the effort is worth it.

“We rehearse as often as we can. Choskie, Jessica, and myself are very busy individuals, so lining up rehearsals can be challenging at times, but we always find a way to make it work,” Allen said.

“Choskie is wonderful at what he does. That, combined with Jessica’s background in dance is making for an educational and memorable experience.”

Knowing that all the hard work is for a good cause motivates Jessica.

“The money raised for DWTS goes right back to the communities in southern West Virginia. This is my home, so that’s my motivation.

I grew up in Summers County, I attended college in Mercer County, and my church is in Raleigh County.

I am personally invested in the communities here, and the United Way helps meet the needs of people struggling here. It feels good to be a part of that,” she said.

Jessica is the evening anchor with WVNS-TV based in the Raleigh County community of Ghent, W.Va. Allen is senior admissions counselor

53 • Summer 2015

Left: Jessica Schueler '09 and Allen Smith '05 take a break from practice for a photo. Right: Schueler and Smith showing off one of their dance moves.

Below: Choskie Harmon '07 is Schueler and Smith's choreographer.

at Concord and Choskie is executive director of the Chuck Mathena Center, a non-profit venue for the performing arts in Princeton, W.Va. Along with focusing their busy rehearsal schedule on offering a stellar performance in September – and possibly receiving the Judge’s Choice Award or People’s Choice Award – the dance team also has additional fundraisers planned in the months leading up to the final extravaganza.

“We are planning several fundraisers,” Jessica said. “Some of them include concerts and a charity basketball game. The goal is raise as much money as we can for the United Way.” Choskie explains the Dancing with the Stars guidelines.

“For the dance portion of the competition there are few guidelines which is great because this allows for a lot of creativity for the choreography and theme of the dance. The only rules are the dance can be no longer than five minutes and the dancers cannot use large props,” he said.

“We are also restricted to a 360 degree stage which is 27’x27’,” he said. “This is a new challenge

for me because the dances that I have choreographed in the past have always been performed on a traditional stage where the audience is only seated in the front of the stage.

“I also always try to tell a story through my choreography, and this case is no different. Not only do Allen and Jessica have to learn dance steps but become actors and tell the story to make the dance a total package,” he said.

Costuming comes into play in presenting the story as well.

“I can’t give away too much about my outfit yet, but it’s going to be fantastic!” Jessica said. “We have an exciting performance planned, and the costumes are definitely a part of that.”

Additional information about Dancing with the Stars can be found online at: http://unitedwayswv. org/dancing-with-the-starssouthern-wv/

A r e t h e MOUNTAIN LIONS in your will?

Ye s

N o

I d o n’ t h a v e a w i l l

I f y o u a n s w e r e d “YES”. . .

If Concord is in your will or other estate plans, please get in touch with the Concord University Foundation, Inc. at 1-304-384-6056 or check out your options online at www.gftpln.org/Home.do?orgId=6307.

I f y o u a n s w e r e d “NO”. . .

Think about putting Concord in your plans by making a valuable and meaningful gift that costs nothing today!

I f y o u a n s w e r e d “I DON’T HAVE A WILL”. . .

Then it is time to start planning! Visit www.gftpln.org/Home.do?orgId=6307 for more information on how you can leave a legacy at Concord University.

Summer 2015 • 54

Heritage & Horizon Bob Gallione ’68 Maintains Strong Ties to Alma Mater Through Service to CUAA and Continued Friendships he Golden Alumnus award is given to a CUAA member who has contributed their time and talents to Concord University and the CUAA with no less than 25 years of service to the Concord community.

This year’s honoree, Robert J. Gallione, Jr., has a passion for and dedication to his alma mater that has burned bright for more than four decades.

“I felt welcomed by my classmates upon arrival at Concord,” Bob said. “I was a walk on player on the football and baseball teams. Playing sports enabled me to see other parts of West Virginia and the South. I also have fond memories of my involvement with the TKE Fraternity.”

Concord College has played a prominent role in his life.

In 1967, his new bride Eva joined him in Athens to start their life together as he was finishing his undergraduate degree. Forty-seven years later, they have two children and three grandchildren.

“It’s important to stay involved with the CUAA because it’s a great way to give back to the University.

Concord had an incredible impact on who I am as a person.”

Bob Gallione ’68 “Concord was unique in making you feel like family,” Bob said. “I was often invited to the homes of my professors and fellow students to meet their families.

Dr. Bailey was the TKE Fraternity advisor and my wife cooked one of her first meals for him when we lived in the marriage units.”

Bob graduated from Concord in 1968 with a bachelor’s degree in Economics.

“My Concord education gave me the opportunity to pursue postgraduate studies,” he said. “Dr. Gates and Dr. Minick were excellent professors. And, Kevin O’Sullivan helped me obtain a graduate assistantship at the University of Bridgeport.”

“My non-classroom experiences in Athens, W.Va. prepared me for a different approach to life,” he said.

Bob received a master’s degree in education from the 55 • Summer 2015

Robert J. Gallione '68 addresses the Alumni Banquet guests.

University of Bridgeport and took graduate courses at Columbia University. He also has several professional certifications in municipal government from Rutgers University.

Mr. Gallione has had a distinguished career in education and government both as an elected official and a municipal employee.

He began his career at Columbia University in 1970 where as the Director of Student Employment, he administered a $5.5 million federally funded financial aid program. He developed the University’s partnership with the New York State Jobs Service providing regional employment opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students.

Mr. Gallione also spearheaded the creation of a $1.2 million student enterprise program, which enabled students to get hands on experience managing their own businesses. An active member of the University community, he served as a presidential delegate during

Heritage & Horizon

student demonstrations to negotiate and resolve conflict.

Throughout his tenure at Columbia University, he was very active in his hometown of Bergenfield, N.J. where he held elected offices as Councilman, Board of Education Trustee and Mayor.

As Mayor of Bergenfield, Mr. Gallione was responsible for a $13 million budget and a work force of 175 employees. He negotiated contracts with all the bargaining units, secured federal community development funds for sewer construction and handicapped building projects and re-organized the town’s Sanitation and Public Works Department.

“Concord was unique in making you feel like family.”

Fairleigh Dickinson University where he shares the knowledge and experience he gained over his 40-plus year career with undergrad and graduate students.

Bob founded the Yankee Chapter of the Concord College Alumni Association as a way to give back to the school that has given so much to his life. His leadership has kept the chapter active and engaged in numerous activities over the years in support of the University.

“It’s important to stay involved with the CUAA because it’s a great way to give back to the University.

Concord had an incredible impact on who I am as a person. For younger alumni CUAA is a good way to network and get assistance with career opportunities.”

In his spare time, Bob said he loves to play bocce and travel which frequently includes trips to “wild and wonderful West Virginia.”

Bob Gallione ’68 In 1993, he moved into municipal government fulltime as the Borough Administrator in Bogota, N.J. Over the course of the next 20 years, he held administrator positions in several Bergen and Morris County communities where he gained experience managing Faulkner Act municipalities.

As a borough administrator, he supervised major capital improvements to municipal infrastructure.

He facilitated land acquisition agreements, secured millions of dollars in municipal grants, negotiated union contracts and helped forge shared service agreements amongst municipalities in a drive for greater efficiency.

Most recently, he has been an adjunct professor at

Bob Gallione '68, right, and his wife, Eva, center, show off their Concord spirit at one of the Yankee Chapter's gatherings at Yankee Stadium in New York City. An unnamed fan joins in the fun.

DID YOU KNOW? Did you know that ordering your Concord alumni gear is as easy as a few clicks of the mouse? Anyone can order Concord items through the Concord University Bookstore website. Just visit http://concord.bkstr.com to see what is available and to place your order. This service allows alums to show their Concord pride no matter where they are!

Summer 2015 • 56

Heritage & Horizon Young Alums Recognized for Outstanding Accomplishments he Young Alumnus Award honors alumni who have demonstrated distinctive achievement in a career, civic involvement or both and who have not been out of college more than 15 years.

Three individuals received the award in 2015: Brad Lane ’02 ’03, Jessica Lilly ’07, and, Andrew Wright ’04.

Brad Lane appeared in the Summer 2014 “Horizon” article for his accomplishments in the field of optometry and his community service.

The article can be found online at: http://issuu. com/concord.university/docs/fa-highres-webalumnimagazinesummer/1 Jessica Lilly and Andrew Wright are profiled below.

Both of these Concord alums have returned to campus and have had a positive impact on the life of the University.

Jessica Lilly ’07

Broadcasting located at Concord University.

Jessica has received several awards from both the West Virginia and the Virginias Associated Press Broadcaster's Association for her work in journalism.

Some of those awards include the Significant Impact Award, Best Radio Reporter, and most recently the Douglas Southall Freeman Award For Public Service Through Radio. This award was for her work in covering a community in Wyoming County that had not had access to clean water for months.

She is currently the host and managing producer of Inside Appalachia, a show by West Virginia Public Broadcasting. Since taking on this new role, one of the episodes was recognized as one of the top podcasts during a specific week.

Jessica has also served as Concord’s campus radio faculty advisor since 2010. Thanks in part to her leadership, Concord is launching a low power FM radio station, WVCU 97.7 FM. She is the proud of mother of two, Jayden age 9 and Tyler age 4.

Andrew Wright ’04

Jessica Lilly ’07

Jessica Lilly graduated from Concord in Spring 2007 with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Arts with an emphasis in Public Relations and Electronic Media and a minor in Business Administration.

She began her broadcasting career while she was still a student at Concord. As a mother of one, and senior in 2006-2007, she began working as the weekend producer and fill-in reporter/anchor at WVNS-TV in Ghent, W.Va. After graduation in 2007 Jessica started as a full time reporter. One year later she began as the Southern West Virginia Bureau Chief for West Virginia Public

57 • Summer 2015

Andrew Wright is a 2004 Concord graduate who has just wrapped up his fifth season at the helm of the Concord University baseball program.

In his tenure as head coach, the Mountain Lions own a record of 150-100 and in the last two years, the Mountain Lions have set consecutive school records for wins with 36 (2013) and 38 (2014).

Under his guidance, the Mountain Lions have seen a steady increase in Team GPA, culminating in a 3.06 in the fall of 2014. Along with success on the field and in the classroom, the Mountain Lions have made community service one of the most important cornerstones of the program. With the advent of the “1000 Hour Project” and the “Get to Give” program, the Mountain Lions have legitimized their importance on community service.

Andrew’s coaching stops include three years on staff at West Virginia University (2004-2007), two years as the head coach of the Wilmington Sharks in the Coastal Plain League (2006-2007), one season as the pitching coach at Georgetown Prep (2009) and two years as the lead instructor at Bethesda-Chevy Chase Baseball Facility (2008-2009). He was also part of the Milwaukee Brewers scouting efforts in the Washington, D.C. area.

He has coached 47 players who have gone on to play

Heritage & Horizon professional baseball, including four who have reached the Major Leagues. Andrew has also helped advance the careers of his graduate assistant coaches. His last three assistants have all gone on to obtain coaching positions after their time at Concord.

Andrew also serves as the Chairman of the Mountain East Baseball Coaches committee and currently serves on the NCAA Atlantic Regional Advisory committee. In 2014, he was a guest speaker at both the WV Baseball Coaches Association Convention in Charleston and the National High School Coaches Convention in Nashville, Tenn.

Andrew Wright '04

Editor’s Note: In June 2015 Andrew Wright announced that he has accepted the head coaching position at the University of Charleston. Kevin Garrett has been appointed head baseball coach at Concord and will also continue to serve as the University’s athletic director.

‘Athens Voices USA 2015’

Concord Artists Featured in Exhibit oncord University’s Arthur Butcher Art Gallery hosted “Athens Voices USA 2015” during June and July.

The 7th Biennial national juried exhibition features mixed media art produced by artists that live or work within 30 miles of “Athens” communities in the United States.

The collection includes works from 48 talented “Athens” artists with a total of 75 pieces representing Athens, Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, New York, Ohio, and West Virginia.

Nine artists were selected to represent Athens, W.Va. in the exhibition. They are: Kylene Babski, Kevin Bennington, Jamey Biggs (Juror), Amanda Lester (Juror’s Award), Randall Lilly, Jan Millard, Jack Sheffler, Sterling Snyder, and Jessica Sutphin.

“Athens Voices USA 2015” was organized by the Dairy Barn Arts Center in Athens, Ohio where it was displayed earlier this year.

The exhibition will be hosted by The Alabama Center for the Arts in

Decatur, Ala. following its stop in Athens, W.Va. For more information on “Athens Voices USA 2015” visit http://dairybarn.org/exhibits/ past-exhibitions/athens-voicesusa-2015/

Duck Pond by Kevin Bennington, Concord University Assistant Professor of Art.

Summer 2015 • 58

Class Notes Achievements Anita Skeen ’68, Professor in the Residential College in the Arts and Humanities at Michigan State University and Director of the Center for Poetry, was named a 2015 William J. Beale Outstanding Faculty Award winner for a comprehensive and sustained record of scholarly excellence in research and/or creative activities, teaching, and outreach. Her publications include five books of poetry; two collaborations, one with a poet and the second with a visual artist; and an anthology. She has been cited for her work in building community in the College, the University, and the greater Lansing area. She is the Coordinator of the Creative Arts Festival at Ghost Ranch in Abiquiu, N.M. in July and of the Fall Writing Festival in October.

Michael W. Kessinger ’72 was recently appointed President / Curator of the Those Who Served War Museum by the Museum’s Board of Directors. Michael has served as a volunteer and a member of the Board of Directors for the past four years. He is a Vietnam era veteran of the U. S. Air Force. The Museum is located in Princeton, W.Va. and was established to honor and remember all veterans but especially those veterans from Mercer County, W.Va. Michael is a Michael W. Kessinger '72 retired educator. He served as a teacher and principal in Mercer, Jefferson and Tucker counties. Before retiring in 2004, he was a Coordinator for the West Virginia Board of Education in the Office of Education Performance Audits. He and his wife Rose ’68 live in Princeton.

Sherry East ’91, an educator from York County, has been named Vice President of The South Carolina Education Association (The SCEA). She will serve a four-year term.

Ms. East began teaching at South Aiken High School. She then moved to Rock Hill, where she taught at Rock Hill High School. She currently teaches science at the Phoenix Academy. Ms. East received a bachelor’s degree in education from Concord and earned a master’s degree in ecological teaching and learning from Lesley University. She currently serves on the Rock Hill River Park Advisory Committee and is a member of the York County Master Gardeners. Ms. East serves on The SCEA Board of Directors, is President of the York County Education Association (YCEA), and serves on The SCEA’s Membership Committee.

Susan Williams ’91 is featured in Wallethub’s “2015’s Best & Worst Cities for Staycations.” Her comments in the recent study are posted at: http://wallethub.com/edu/best-citiesfor-staycations/4341/#susan-williams Dr. Williams is Interim Director of Concord’s Beckley campus, Associate

59 • Summer 2015

Professor of Recreation and Tourism Management, Chair of the Social Sciences Division and Faculty President.

Mark A. Angle ’93 has been appointed Superintendent of Douglas County School District #15 in Days Creek, Oregon.

Dean Kelley ’94 has received a promotion to the position of Manager of Field Services, Special Projects, and Structured Cabling for Carilion Clinic Technology Services Group located in Roanoke, Va. He and his wife, Dana Schoonover Kelley ’94, an elementary school teacher for Roanoke County, reside in Salem, Va. with their two children, Ian and Rayah.

Stephanie Meadows ’94 is the new Executive Director for the American Red Cross of Southeast West Virginia. The organization is headquartered in Beckley and serves 11 counties including Raleigh, Webster, Pocahontas, Nicholas, Greenbrier, Fayette, Summers, Monroe, Mercer, Wyoming and McDowell. Meadows has been affiliated with the American Red Cross since October 2011 serving as Development Coordinator. Her previous experience with non-profit fundraising includes work for Habitat for Humanity, Charleston Area Medical Center Foundation and the March of Dimes. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Concord.

Winston Brown ’97 has been named Vice President, Global Quality, for Phillips-Medisize Corp. He has held various leadership positions with pharmaceutical companies. Brown has also served in the U.S. Army as an officer.

Margaret Farley Prince ’02 had her greatest accomplishment on May 23, 2014. Her only child, Bethel Amethyst (a.k.a. Ammie) Prince graduated from Princeton Senior High School. Ammie has Autism HF (High-Functional).

It was a struggle to get Ammie through school. However, Margaret offers many thanks to her parents, friends, teachers, doctors, medication, counselors and the Autism Training Center’s tips that helped Margaret immensely to get her daughter’s education. Also, Margaret is thankful for her education at Concord, especially the field placements at Knob, Oakvale, Sun Valley and Montcalm in the early 90s as a part of Early and Special Education courses. Truly, the experiences and education enabled Margaret to achieve this wonderful feat. Margaret wants to thank everyone that continually prays for, encourages, and supports her and her daughter.

Margaret Farley Prince '02 and Bethel Amethyst

Class Notes

Jenni Canterbury ’00 welcomes Dr. Boggess and several Concord alums to the New River Community and Technical College Raleigh County Campus ribbon cutting and Business After Hours event in March. Jenni is Public Relations Manager for New River. Shown at the gathering are (left to right): Jessica Schueler ’09, Sharon Lilly ’74, Lori Midkiff ’00, Jenni Canterbury ’00, Dwane Muncy ’01, Larry Marrs ’03, Dr. Kendra Boggess, Ronnie Adkins ’81 and Susan Landis (Concord University Foundation Board of Directors member).

Larry Marrs ’03, currently a photojournalist at WVNS 59 News, was honored as the 2015 Best Photojournalist during the West Virginia Broadcasters Association’s Excellence in Broadcasting Awards in March. Larry, a 1995 Baileysville High School graduate, started his career at WVFX in Clarksburg, W.Va. as the Creative Services Director.

After leaving WVFX in 2006, Larry started his own video production business until he returned to television with WVNS in 2013 working Master Control. Larry worked his way up the ladder after displaying an ability to shoot breaking news in the Bluefield area. Less than a year after starting in Master Control, he was promoted to Photojournalist in February 2014. Although Larry has produced video for over 15 years, this was the first year shooting news.

Larry Marrs '03

Brandon K. Lilly ’09 graduated from the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine in May 2015 earning a Doctor of Medicine degree. Lilly received a bachelor’s degree in Pre-Professional Biology from Concord. He is beginning a four-year residency program in Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine at the Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine.

With special interests in dementia, post-traumatic stress disorder, and sleep disorders, he is considering a fellowship in Geriatric Psychiatry or Sleep Medicine following his residency. He is a resident of Cool Ridge, W.Va.

WEDDING

Kristina Champe ’11 and Adam Phillips were married March 15, 2015 in North Charleston, S.C. Kristina received two bachelor’s degrees while at CU, one in Social Work and the other in Sociology. She is currently working toward a Medical Assisting Degree at Trident Technical College in Charleston, S.C., and is expecting to graduate in Kristina Champe '11 and Spring 2016. Adam works Adam Phillips on a tugboat as a Captain.

They honeymooned in Myrtle Beach, S.C. but plan to take a cruise in the next year. Kristina and Adam currently live in Hollywood, S.C.

Summer 2015 • 60

Class Notes HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PETE! Pete Ballard ’53 of Peterstown, W.Va., celebrated his 84th birthday in March with a luncheon at the Hometown Restaurant in Peterstown. Pete’s illustrious career as an educator and artist has taken him around the globe where he has met some of the world’s most notable entertainers and leaders. Guests at his recent birthday gathering included fellow artists, educators, business and community leaders, media representatives, and national, state and local government officials, along with neighbors and friends. Dr. Kendra Boggess, among his well-wishers, is shown here with Pete at the celebration.

President Boggess with Pete Ballard '53

BIRTHS

Sawyer Isaiah Thorn

PASSINGS Coben Thorn ’06 and Stephanie Young Thorn ’07 announce the arrival of their precious son, Sawyer Isaiah Thorn, born Oct. 17, 2014.

He weighed 8 lbs., 14 oz. and measured 21 inches. Sawyer was born in Greenville, S.C. but has grandparents, Terry ’86 and Karen Thorn, to come back and visit in Mullens, W.Va.

Holly McBride ’12 and Kent McBride ’06 announce the birth of their first child, Campbell Grey McBride. Campbell was born on Oct. 3, 2014. He weighed 8 lb. 7 oz. and was 21.5 inches long.

ANNIVERSARY

John and Betty Leffers celebrated 64 years of marriage on May 30.

They met in the Sweet Shop at Concord in October 1950. John studied two years at Concord Campbell Grey McBride then went to the University of Florida where he received a degree in Civil Engineering in 1956. Betty only went one year at Concord before they were married and moved to Gainesville, Fla. for John to complete his education. They are parents to three sons, two of which are deceased. The remaining son lives in Cumming, Ga. where John and Betty reside. Betty was born and raised in Iaeger, W.Va. and John in Punta Gorda in southwest Florida. They say they will always remember sweet memories at Concord University.

61 • Summer 2015

Robert F. “Bob” McNeish IV ’48: Dec. 4, 2014. Robert was born in the small coal mining town of Glen Morrison, W.Va. and subsequently moved first to Slab Fork were his father was the coal mine foreman and then to Beckley, W.Va. Bob was a very gifted young man and skipped two grades in elementary school. He graduated from Sophia High School where he lettered in three sports: football, baseball and, basketball. During his senior year of high school, Bob was the captain of the Beckley baseball team and helped lead his team to a state championship, eventually losing in the national finals. Bob was eventually drafted by the Boston Red Sox; and his dad acquiesced to Bob’s desires to give it a go. Bob played for the Appalachian League in Bluefield, W.Va., a farm team for the Red Sox. However, a knee injury sidelined Bob’s start-up baseball career. He returned to Beckley and worked in the coal mines for two to three days a week and attended night school to complete his degree at his beloved Concord College. After a brief military stint during the Korean conflict when he was stationed in Alaska, he returned home to his wife Betty, new-born daughter Cathy and his job in the coal mines. The family grew to four when Bob and Betty had a second daughter, named Robin. He decided to pursue a new career as a teacher in the Baltimore County school system during a period of time when math and science teachers across the nation were in great demand.

He gratefully accepted a position teaching science and math at Arbutus Junior High School. Bob was a natural, a gifted educator who could connect with his audience. In fact, other teachers from around the county were asked to come and watch him demonstrate lessons so they could improve their own teaching skill. Bob completed his undergraduate degree in teaching at the University of Maryland. Twelve years after the birth of Robin, Bob and Betty welcomed Missy into their family. Bob had moved on to teach at Lansdowne High School where he also became the department chair, later earning his master’s degree at Western Maryland College.

He even earned a national award for his teaching prowess.

Class Notes He was then tapped to become the county’s supervisor of science and was again promoted to associate superintendent for curriculum and instruction. He retired in 1992. He was deacon and Sunday school teacher at Northminster Presbyterian Church. Bob became the proud grandfather of ten grandchildren and three great grandchildren. A resident of Reisterstown, Md., he was preceded in death by his wife of 53 years, Betty Andrews McNeish, to whom he was beloved husband and “Pardner.” Survivors include daughters Cathy McNeish and her husband Eric P. McCulley, Robin McNeish and her husband Dr. Gary L. Thrift and Missy McNeish and her husband Thomas P. Fanshaw; grandchildren Bobby, Tim, Scott, Lauren, Garrett, Kendall, K B, Patrick, Andrew and Michael; great-grandchildren Kemper, Brooklyn and Louis; and sister Peggy Gray.

Norene Amy Wallace Young ’59: May 23, 2015. Born May 23, 1937 in Pearisburg, Va., she was the daughter of the late Gilmer Henderson and Bessie Amy Canterbury Wallace. Young was preceded in death by her husband of 52 1/2 years, James Weldon Young, in 2009. Young grew up in Greenville, W.Va. She was a 1955 graduate of Norene Young '59 Greenville High School and was also named Monroe County Outstanding 4-H Girl that year. She met the love of her life at Greenville School. They married in 1957 and settled near Forest Hill until they built a home in Greenville. Meanwhile, Young completed degrees in home economics and library science with an English minor from Concord College. She taught at White Sulphur High School and Greenville High School before putting her career on hold to raise their three children. When their youngest began kindergarten, Young returned to teaching as a substitute for several years. She was hired in 1979 to teach special needs students at Greenville Elementary.

Young completed postgraduate work at then-West Virginia College of Graduate Studies to earn certificates in elementary education and special education. She retired from Monroe County Schools in 1997 with 18 years of service. After retirement, Young was an active grandmother and babysitter for her three grandchildren. She enjoyed reading, sewing, crocheting, knitting, walking and her rose garden. She served two tenures as leader of the Forest Hill Mountaineers 4-H club, was a veteran counselor for Summers County 4-H camp and a Summers County 4-H All Star. She was an active member of Centerville Presbyterian Church serving as organist, choir member, Sunday school teacher, Bible school teacher and Christmas program coordinator while the family lived in Greenville. After moving to Forest Hill in 1975, Young was an active member at Fairview Baptist Church serving as choir member, soloist, Sunday school teacher, Bible school teacher and director, treasurer and president of the Mary and Martha Circle. Young also served as treasurer of the Greenbrier-Raleigh Baptist Association.

For 20 years, she coordinated with 24 churches in Summers and Monroe counties to pack and transport hundreds of shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child. During her retirement, she was a member of the Alpha Gamma chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma, serving as president of the chapter and most recently as program chairwoman. Young put her English minor to work to write and publish a children’s book titled “Cathy, The Castaway Cat.” She is the author of two other as-yet unpublished children’s books. Young visited schools and libraries to read her book. She is survived by her three children: Jeffrey Young and wife, Patricia, of Forest Hill; daughter Nerissa Young of Huntington; and daughter Teresa Terry Dixon and husband, Marvin, of Forest Hill. Surviving grandchildren include: granddaughter Michelle Young Lucas and husband, Justin, of Marie; and grandsons Mark and Andrew Dixon of Forest Hill. Other survivors include sisters-in-law Betty J. McNeer and Norma J. Young, both of Forest Hill; a first cousin who was like a sister, Mildred Porterfield Shaw, of Gaithersburg, Md.; Aunt Madeline Keadle of Lindside; nieces and nephews and numerous cousins. Her feline friend, Miss Kitty, also survives.

John R. “Pete” Arnold ’61: May 3, 2015. A resident of Lancaster, S.C., Pete was the eldest of four children of the late George T. and Cris Nunn Arnold. Born in Ingram Branch, W.Va., on May 30, 1939, he grew up in Beckley, W.Va. where he graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in 1957.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Concord and a Master of Arts degree in American and European history from Marshall University in 1964. He also completed post graduate work in educational administration from Marshall University. Before moving to South Carolina, Pete was a faculty member and an administrator in West Virginia schools from 1961-70. He taught history, civics and speech at Shady Spring High School, and at Man junior high and high schools. He also served as the assistant principal of Man High School, and as the Director of the Logan, W.Va. campus of Marshall University. He joined the history faculty at the University of South Carolina at Lancaster in the fall of 1970 and was named the school’s “Outstanding Professor” in 1971-72. During his 24-year tenure, he rose from assistant professor to Dean, the top administrative position. He served as Dean from 1982 to 1994, when he retired at the age of 55.

He subsequently was named both Distinguished Professor Emeritus of History and Dean Emeritus of the USCL campus.

A month after Pete’s retirement, Gov. Carroll Campbell awarded him The Order of the Palmetto, the state’s highest civilian honor for lifetime achievements and contributions to South Carolina. The General Assembly that same month passed a resolution of appreciation “for his outstanding service to higher education.” Pete was a popular speaker and master of ceremonies for a variety of audiences, and perhaps more than anything else, he was known by his friends for his wit, his ever-present sense of humor, and for his love of music – especially folk, country and bluegrass. Survivors from the closely knit family he loved dearly include a brother, Dr. George T. Arnold, of Lancaster; a sister, Patty Arnold Noll, and her husband, Alan, of Lancaster; a sister, Marilyn Arnold Meyers, and her husband, Rich, of Tampa, Fla.; and his former wife, Jackie Lee Arnold, of Lancaster.

Summer 2015 • 62

Class Notes Elizabeth H. Link ’63: Oct. 24, 2014. A resident of Oakton, Va., she was the daughter of the late Winfred and Mary Hartsaw. Elizabeth was the director of Project Opportunity at Bryant Adult Alternative High School in Alexandria, Va. Project Opportunity is a high school completion program for pregnant or parenting young women in Fairfax County.

She is survived by her loving husband, Daniel C. Link Jr.; two sons, David (Miriam) Link, and Kevin Link; daughter, Kristin (Chris) Dillon; three grandchildren, John Paul, Gabriel, and Audrey; sister, Mary Winifred (Robert) Crosier; brother, David (Judy) Hartsaw, and many nieces, nephews, and friends.

Ronald Lee Berry ’66: May 21, 2015. Born Aug. 24, 1944 in Hinton, W.Va., he was the son of the late Grady and Donna Adkins Berry. He was a member of the Pipestem Southern Baptist Church, a retired engineer from CSX Transportation with 23 years of service, and a 1962 graduate of Hinton High School where he was a member of the Bobcat football team.

Ron attended Concord and Dabney S. Lancaster Community College in Clifton Forge, Va. He received a degree in personnel management from LaSalle Extension University. He was a resident of Pipestem, W.Va. He was owner and operator of Berry’s Bookkeeping and Tax Service, an avid WVU football fan, and he enjoyed hunting, fishing, camping and the outdoors. He was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and friend to everyone spending time with them all, especially his grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his brother-in-law, James Ball. Those left to cherish his memory include his devoted wife of 30 years, Debbie Meadows Berry of Pipestem; six daughters, Rhonda Willey and husband Danny of Zion Mountain, Amy Richmond and husband Robert of Meadow Creek, Lisa Miller and husband Don of Bellepoint, Tammy Crandlemire and husband Paul of Hampton, Va., Amanda Grimmett and husband Mike of Talcott, and Kelli Adkins and husband Joshua of Woodrumtown; nine grandchildren, Austin Cole, Keisha Watts, Dustin Cole, Brooklynn Cole, Adreana Willey, Nicholas Willey, Amber Richmond, Clayton Crandlemire and Landon Grimmett; three great-grandchildren, Logan Cole, Kaylee Watts and Saylor Cole; two brothers, Perry and Greg Berry; one sister, Linda Lyons; sister-in-law, Linda Ball; and special family friend, Cora Lee Arthur.

Cleo Phillips Boyles '71 63 • Summer 2015

Cleo Phillips Boyles ’71: Feb. 24, 2015. Born May 29, 1936 in Lerona, she was the daughter of the late Edgar A. Phillips and Ada Davis Phillips.

Cleo was a 1953 graduate of Athens High School and received her Bachelor of Science degree in Education from Concord. She was a retired school teacher with 28 years of service, last teaching at Silver Springs Elementary School. She taught at Knob Elementary School for 23 years and had been a lifelong resident of this area. Cleo

touched many lives during her teaching career. She deeply loved her family and was deeply loved by them in return. She was a selfless person who always put the needs of others before her own. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Richard Boyles; five sisters; and six brothers. Survivors include two sons, Jeffrey Boyles and wife Ginny of Bluefield, Va. and Johnny Boyles and wife Linda of Moundsville, W.Va.; three daughters, Gwen Alexander and Ginger Boyles both of Princeton, and Sharon Farmer of Rougemont, N.C.; nine grandchildren; 12 great-greatgrandchildren; and special family members, Maude Crews of True, W.Va., and Odell Walker of Radford, Va.; and special niece, Patty Clouatre of Spanishburg, W.Va.

Billie Rae “Penny” Linkous ’79: April 27, 2015. Born Aug. 5, 1948 in Mullens W.Va., Penny was the daughter of the late Raymond Cook and Billy Jean Blankenship. Penny was a graduate of Mullens High School class of 1966. She graduated from Concord with a bachelor’s degree in Education. She went on to pursue graduate degrees from West Virginia University and Marshall University. She retired as a wellloved teacher from Herndon Consolidated in 2008. She was an avid tennis player who spent time playing and watching the game. Penny loved her family, friends, teaching, and all sports. She attended the Mullens Pentecostal Holiness Church. In addition to her parents, Penny was preceded in death by her son-in-law, Stacy McLamb of Mullens.

Those left to cherish her memory include her two loving daughters, Kelly Linkous McLamb and Jenny Gillispie and her husband Kevin all of Mullens; granddaughter Kaitlynn Gentry and grandson Tanner Gentry, both of Mullens; two sisters, Debbie Canada and her husband Mike of West End, N.C.; Barbara Coleman and her husband Mitch of Southern Pines, N.C.; three brothers, Randy Cook of Jacksonville, Fla.; Jack Blankenship of Aberdeen, N.C.; and Jimmy BlankenshipCoombs and his husband Jim of Morgantown, W.Va.; and several nieces and nephews she loved dearly.

John F. Setliff ’86: April 22, 2015. Born Sept. 9, 1943, in Beckley, W.Va., he was the son of the late Cope Abram and Doris Marian Perry Setliff. He was a resident of Beckley.

In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by a brother-in-law, Robert Nold. John worked for Stanley and Associates. He held an Associate of Science degree in Computer Science from Beckley College, a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Concord and a Master of Arts in Business Administration from West Virginia College of Graduate Studies. He is survived by sisters, Sandra Lares and husband John of Beckley, Autumn Delight Nold of Dousman, Wis., and by his brother, Donald Cope Setliff of Belen, N.M.

Scott William George, ’04: March 27, 2015. Scott was born July 25, 1981, in Beckley, W.Va. to Steve and Sallie George.

He was preceded in death by his loving grandparents, Guy and Mickey Wilson and Bill and Madonna George. He graduated from Fayetteville High School in 2000 and Concord University. Scott was elected to the Concord University Athletic Hall of Fame in 2012. He recently completed 10 years of service with the PGA tour at Ponte Vedra, Fla. He

Class Notes was a resident of Jacksonville Beach, Fla. Scott is survived by his loving family, including his parents, Steve and Sallie George of St. Augustine, Fla.; sisters, Whitney (Ryan) Courtney of Bridgeport, W.Va. and Shelley (Daniel Blednick) George, of New York, N.Y.; his precious nieces, Mackenzie Hope Courtney and Savannah Grace Courtney; and precious nephew, Cole Scott Courtney. Scott will be loved and missed by all who have crossed Scott William George '04 his path.

Peter J. Underwood ’06: May 16, 2015. Underwood of Lincoln, Neb., was tragically killed in a car accident near Atlantic, Iowa. He was born in Eltham, England on Nov. 24, 1983 to Robert Underwood and Margot Bowen. Prior to coming to Nebraska as the Assistant Soccer Coach at UNL, Peter spent two years as an assistant coach at the University of Montana and three years as a graduate assistant coach for Marshall Peter J. Underwood '06 University’s men’s and women’s soccer teams. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Concord and a master’s degree in Athletic Administration from Marshall in 2008. A native of London, England, he moved to the United States and played one season of varsity soccer at Concord. He then embarked on his coaching career, serving as a student assistant coach for the women’s program. Underwood earned a Union of European Football Association (UEFA) coaching “A” license. He is survived by his wife, Austin; their two young children, daughter, Lyla, and son, Jude; parents, Robert Underwood and Margot Bowen; sister, Renata (Tony) Padilla; mother and father-in-law, Bob and Sissy Clyse; brothers-inlaw, Tyler (Savannah) Clyse, Crosby Clyse; sister-in-law, Sunni Clyse; nieces and nephews, Jess and Bella Padilla, Finley and Briar Clyse; his beloved dog Lady Bigglesworth and many more friends and loved ones.

Keith Ross Epps ’07: April 3, 2015. Born on May 24, 1974 in Phoenix, Arizona, he was the son of Ann Casey of Florida, and the late Patrick Mack Epps. Keith was the former Marketing Director for Dickie’s Barbeque in Beaver. He received a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Concord and was a member of the Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity. Keith enjoyed taking the children and the dog for walks in the park.

He was preceded in death by his father, Patrick Mack Epps; his step father, Walter Hight, and a brother Stormy Epps.

Those survivors left to cherish his memory include his fiancé Libbe Cales of Beaver, and her children, Clay and Hannah; his daughter Eedy Ann Alice Epps of Princeton, W.Va.; a brother, Clay Epps of Princeton, and step brothers, Mike, Pat, and Randy Hight. Keith is also survived by many other relatives and friends who loved him very much.

Robert J. Cierzniewski: March 12, 2015. A resident of Bay City, Mich., he was born June 12, 1924 to the late John and Sophia (Gajewski) Cierzniewski. Bob attended St. Stanislaus School and graduated from the University of Michigan with a bachelor’s degree in the Classics. After serving his country in the U.S. Navy during World War II, he went on to spend his entire career with the Dow Chemical Company as a patent librarian from which he retired in 1987. Bob was a member of the Church of St. Boniface for all of his adult life and sang in the church choir for the past 40 years. He was a member of the Concord University Foundation Board of Trustees. He was a proud Wolverine who served on the Board of Directors of the U of M Alumni Club of Bay City for 25 years and its Scholarship Committee. Bob was very involved in the Alice and Jack Wirt Public Library and was a member of the Board of Directors of the Friends of the Bay County Libraries since its inception in 1980. He was a devotee of cultural affairs and a patron of the Saginaw Bay Symphony for many years. Bob was famous for his ties and was known by many as “Bow Tie Bob.” His family members were few in number but his friends were many especially his dear friend and companion, Phyllis Vegter whom he leaves to cherish his memory.

Hristo Stoynev: March 8, 2015. Born in 1981, “Izzo” was originally from Ihtiman, Bulgaria. He studied Business Administration at Concord with a concentration in Marketing. Members of the Concord community remember him as “an interesting student” and “an unusually kind person who persevered through all his illnesses.”

Calling for Class Notes We want to hear from you! Send us your personal and professional accomplishments, news on marriages and family additions and updates on other noteworthy events in your life. Photographs are welcome as well.

Please email your news items to advancement@concord.edu or mail them to Concord University, Office of Advancement, P.O. Box 1000, Athens, WV 24712.

Summer 2015 • 64

Hatfields and McCoys Traveling Exhibit Visits Concord

he West Virginia Humanities Council’s new traveling exhibit, The Hatfields & McCoys: American Blood Feud, was recently displayed in the Marsh Library.

Using text, photographs, maps, illustrations, and quotes, the exhibit of four free standing three-sided kiosks examines the history of the Tug Valley region, origins and events of the feud, as well as its historical and cultural significance including related scholarly books, plays, television shows, and products.

After previewing in January at the West Virginia University Creative Arts Center, The Hatfields & McCoys officially premiered in February in the heart of Hatfield country in Mingo County at the Williamson Public Library.

“We create our traveling exhibits in collaboration with graphic arts students at West Virginia University, so they get first dibs as to showing them off,” according to Humanities Council program officer Mark Payne. It arrived at Concord after displaying at the Coal Heritage Interpretive Center in Bramwell.

Payne noted that the feud exhibit had stops planned in Tug Valley for the Hatfield-McCoy Reunion Festival, with a special visit to the Matewan Visitors Center. It is also visiting neighboring Pikeville, Ky. in September. “Considering the special nature of the story, we have had interest from venues in Kentucky and will share this one across the state line, which is not something we typically do,” Payne said.

While excited to bring the Hatfield-McCoy story home to

southern West Virginia, Payne emphasized that Humanities Council exhibits travel statewide.

“We have had inquiries from Parkersburg to Martinsburg and continue to work out the schedule.

It is definitely going to be getting around,” he said.

Previous traveling exhibits developed by the Humanities Council about West Virginia statehood and John Henry were displayed at 65 different sites in the Mountain State.

The Hatfields & McCoys traveling exhibit is funded in part by ZMM Architects & Engineers of Charleston.

Groups interested in bringing the exhibit to their communities should contact Payne at 304-346-8500 or payne@wvhumanities.org

There’s Still Time

to Order an Alumni Weekend T-Shirt

he 2015 Alumni Weekend T-shirt continues to be a popular item in the line-up of CU gear.

If you don’t have one of your own, or if you would like to purchase one for someone else, you are in luck because shirts are still available.

Alumni Weekend T-shirts bring back memories of some of the reasons why we love CU! That’s why they make great gifts and are a fun item to wear.

Order yours today at: https:// apps.concord.edu/forms/view. php?id=99604

65 • Summer 2015

Thank you for your support!

Happy shopping!

We have a for someone you know.

Dear Alumni and Friends, We have a special place for someone you know.

You are in a unique position, as an alumnus or friend of Concord University, to recommend prospective students to the University.

The special person you know may currently be in high school or in the workforce…and searching for the perfect fit for college. Please submit the name of your special person and we will follow up to see if we can meet his or her academic needs.

We look forward to hearing from you and meeting someone who is special to you!

Kindest regards,

Sarah Turner ’98 Director of Alumni Affairs

Submit this form in the envelope provided.

The information you supply below is all that’s required and you don’t have to complete the form on the envelope. Or, you may call 1-888-384-5249 or email alumni@concord.edu to make your referral.

(Please mention that you are making an alumni student referral when you call.)

Student’s Name:______________________________

Address:______________________________________

________________________________________________ Phone: ________________________________________

Legacy Scholarship is Now Available We are proud to announce the availability of the Concord University Legacy Scholarship.

Did you graduate from either Concord College or Concord University? Then, your son or daughter will be eligible to apply for the Concord University Legacy Scholarship.

The scholarship is non-renewable and is contingent upon available funds. Encourage your son or daughter to apply early!

Here are the criteria. The successful recipient must: • be either a first-time freshman or student who transfers from another institution

• be a dependent of either a Concord College or Concord University graduate

• have a minimum 3.0 high school GPA and 18 on the ACT or 870 (verbal and mathematics score only) on the SAT Funds are limited so please check with the Concord University Admissions Office regarding scholarship availability.

Email: _________________________________________ Name of high school and graduation date:

________________________________________________ Parents' Names: _____________________________

________________________________________________ Are Parents Alumni? ________________________

If current college student, name of institution: ________________________________________________ Your Name: ___________________________________ Class Year: ____________________________________

Address: ______________________________________

________________________________________________

Email: _________________________________________ Thank you for your recommendation!

Summer 2015 • 66

Alumni Spotlight

Alumni Spotlight features outstanding achievements of alums and is highlighted on CU’s website. The Alumni Spotlight archive is located at: http://www.concord.edu/advancement/alumni-spotlight-archive

February 2015 - Dustin Greenwood '08 In February we spotlighted Dustin Greenwood ’08 who is a bobsled push athlete for the US National Team! To read about Dustin’s journey to become a member of this team please visit the following link: https://usabs.rallyme.com/rallies/1144/greenwoods-bobsled-journey You can also keep up with Dustin by following his Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/BobsledGreenwood?ref=hl Congratulations Dustin on such an outstanding achievement - we hope to CU at the Olympics in 2018!

March 2015 - Meleah Fisher '94 Congratulations to Meleah Fisher ’94 on being chosen as the Kanawha County Schools Teacher Spotlight for the Fine Arts for February 2015. Meleah is the Director of Bands at Herbert Hoover High School. The award-winning Husky Band proudly represents HHHS in many festivals and events throughout the state and region. In addition to her teaching duties, Meleah serves as the Treasurer for the Kanawha County Bandmasters Association, as well as the Secretary for the Majorette Festival Planning Committee. Anyone who enters Meleah’s classroom can tell immediately that she makes it a priority to provide a caring environment for her students. For the last several years she has worked tirelessly, spending many hours of her personal time, to ensure that the students at Hoover have a beautiful prom experience. She is always willing to lend a hand, whether at her school or at the district level. Meleah is an outstanding example of the dedicated alumni that we have out in the classroom and we are proud to call her a Concord alum!

April 2015 - Abhishek Singh '03 Abhishek Singh has certainly been making a name for himself on the international law front. He was recently called on by the Bar Council of India to serve on a panel of experts preparing course materials for the first All India Bar Examination. To read more about what Abhishek has been doing since his days in Athens please visit the following link: http://harrisburglaw.widener.edu/alumni-friends/success-stories/abhishek-singh/ Just another example of all the outstanding things our alums are doing!

May 2015 - Karen Rutherford Bonnett '84 Congratulations to Karen Bonnett ’84 on being named one of six national Teacher of the Year award winners by SHAPE- America (Society of Health and Physical Educators) for 2015. She was selected as the High School Physical Education Teacher of the Year and was selected from among 24 district winners representing SHAPE America’s six districts. Karen received her award during the organization’s National Convention & Expo in Seattle in March.

To read more about Karen’s award and about SHAPE America visit the following link: http://www.shapeamerica.org/pressroom/2015/national-teachers-of-the-year.cfm Congratulations Karen!

67 • Summer 2015

Thursday, October 8 • Homecoming Parade and Bonfire - 6:00 p.m.

Friday, October 9 • Alumni Pig Roast - 6:00 p.m.

• Lip Sync - 8:00 p.m.

• Career Symposium - Contact careerservices@concord.edu for more information • CU Athletic Department Golf Tournament - Contact anita@concord.edu for more information

Saturday, October 10 • Mimosa Brunch -10:30 a.m. to noon • Sigma Sigma Sigma 90th Anniversary Celebration - Contact sarahjane1088@ yahoo.com for more information • Recognition of 1990 WVIAC CoChampionship Football team • Cardinal Key Reunion Tea - Contact cardinalkeycu@gmail.com for more information • Lion's Den Tailgate - Noon • Football game kickoff - 2:00 p.m.

• Alumni Affinity Tents • Parents' Club Tailgate

For the most current schedule of events please visit www.concord.edu/advancement/homecoming Summer 2015 • 68

Students Participate in

Frasure-Singleton Legislative Internship

ix Concord University students participated in the Frasure-Singleton Legislative Internship during the 2015 session of the West Virginia Legislature.

“The Frasure-Singleton Legislative Internship is a great opportunity for our Political Science majors to witness government in action,” Dr. Sally J. Howard, associate professor of Political Science, said.

“We were thrilled to have six of our students selected to participate this year. They all came back with great stories and great insight into the workings of state government.”

Saul Harlow, a Political Science and Pre-Law major from Summersville, W.Va., describes the internship as “unparalleled.”

“Frasure-Singleton was an unparalleled experience that provided an excellent opportunity to really dive into the intimate details of our legislature and its modus operandi,” he said.

The Frasure-Singleton Internship Program is held for a two-week period during the Legislature’s midsession. Each student participates for one week.

The students selected for the internship are undergraduates from the state’s colleges and universities.

Each is assigned to assist a senator or delegate. Participants learn about the legislative process, attend committee meetings and public hearings, and sit on the floor during the Legislature’s daily sessions.

During the week, they also assist legislators with issue research, constituent requests, and other legislative tasks.

“I really got to understand the legislative process a lot better and learned that most delegates and senators really are there to do their best in representing their constituents,” Political Science major Emily Hawkins said. “This

69 • Summer 2015

WV Legislative Photography, Photos by Perry Bennett Concord University students participating in the Frasure-Singleton Legislative Internship during the 2015 session of the West Virginia Legislature include: Top Photo, back row, third from left, Saul Harlow; fourth from left, Jesse Jeffries; fifth from left, Hunter Horton; and, sixth from left, Aaron Barnett. Bottom Photo, front row, second from left, Emily Hawkins; and, back row, first from left, Elisa Sperandio.

internship really humanized our representatives to show that they are just normal people trying to work together to create better laws for a better state.

“The committee meetings were my favorite part of the internship, specifically the Education and Health committee meetings. Many of the bills proposed and discussed at these meetings have some impact on either myself, my family, or the people in my area,” she said.

Hawkins is a resident of Beckley, W.Va.

“I loved when interested groups and concerned citizens would come to the capitol and these committee meetings to either support or oppose a piece of legislation,” she said. “In a state with such a low voter turnout, this was inspiring to see.”

“The Frasure-Singleton Internship is an excellent opportunity for anyone interested in the legislative process,” Hunter Horton from Sophia, W.Va., said. “It was very intriguing to see how the legislative branch operates … and

impressive to witness the high level of dedication it takes to accomplish goals in a political environment.

“It was great to see firsthand how lucky we are as southern West Virginians to have such hard working men and women representing us in Charleston,” he said.

Horton is majoring in Political Science with a minor in History.

Concord University students Elisa Sperandio, Aaron Barnett and Jesse Jeffries also participated in the internship.

Concord Presenter Receives First Place Award in State Literary Symposium arah Paxton took first prize for her essay “‘Men prize the thing ungained more than it is’: Conflation of Honor and Sex in Troilus and Cressida” at the 23rd Annual West Virginia Undergraduate Literary Symposium held at Fairmont State University on April 11. She is a member of Concord’s Spring 2015 class.

Ms. Paxton was one of seven Concord University students participating in this competition.

Additional Concord presenters and the titles of their papers were: Amanda French, “The Emergence and Evolution of the Female through Gothic Literature”; Madison Jorgensen, “The Rhetoric of American Preachers and Prophets”; Brittney McPherson, “A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes: Ironic Wish Fulfillment in Keats’ ‘The Eve of St. Agnes’”; Virginia Mann, “Shining a Light in the Darkness: HeartFelt Religion in Hard Times”; Mary Price, “ ‘And with Absolute Trust’: The Promotion of Civilly –Diverse Society in Dracula”; and, Ronni Wood, “Hemans in an Anthology?”

Sarah Paxton, second from left, is the first place winner of the Annual West Virginia Undergraduate Literary Symposium. Also pictured, from left, are Concord faculty Dr. Charles Brichford, Division of Humanities chair; Dr. Anthony Patricia, lecturer in English; and Dr. Gabriel Rieger, associate professor of English.

The papers presented were selected from submissions by undergraduate students from six colleges and universities in West

Virginia, and, for the first time, from outside the state (University of Texas-El Paso.)

Summer 2015 • 70

Students Learn About Entrepreneurship At Lemonade Day usiness was booming on April 15 at the first lemonade stand of the 2015 season for Lemonade Day West Virginia.

Set up in the lobby of Concord University’s Student Center at lunchtime, the stand showcased the entrepreneurial talents of students from Straley Elementary School in Princeton.

The 19 fifth graders worked in six different teams to market, prepare, serve and sell their beverage to Concord students, staff and faculty.

The Student Entrepreneurship Club at Concord hosted the event.

Lemonade Day is a national and state initiative that inspires and equips youth for entrepreneurship through the experience of running a lemonade stand. (To learn more visit www.lemonadeday.org) National Lemonade Day was Sunday, May 3. Matthew Thompson, Lemonade Day West Virginia statewide director, said, “We will have stands set up April to July.”

Thompson was on hand last year as well when the Concord Student Entrepreneurship Club hosted a Lemonade Day event.

Straley fifth grade teacher Janet Burton said that through the activity she hoped her students would learn about advertising and financial responsibility and how to make change. Lemonade purchases were made with play money.

Burton said that Concord’s

Young entrepreneurs peddle lemonade.

71 • Summer 2015

Matthew Thompson, Lemonade Day West Virginia statewide director, makes a purchase.

Student Entrepreneurship Club provided lessons on entrepreneurship in the classroom for her students prior to the Lemonade Day event.

Student Entrepreneurship Club member Ichrak Keraani, who visited the school to work with the fifth graders, said the program will “let the kids learn …how it is to own a business.”

“It’s a good opportunity to teach them about entrepreneurship,” she said.

The fifth graders eagerly discussed their marketing tactics as they peddled their lemonade.

“We brainstormed and came up with a lightning bolt,” one of the marketers for “Bursting with Flavor” said about his team’s logo.

Another team hoped to “eliminate” the other competitors by working as “E-Lemonaders.”

Each team displayed a colorful, handmade sign announcing their product and the students wore personally designed T-shirts with their themes and slogans.

Boisterous chants including “Buy some fresh lemonade!” were also

Students mix up another pitcher of lemonade.

Matthew Thompson, left, and Dr. Mohan P. Pokharel, host Concord’s lemonade stand.

(Left to right) Kayla Saunders, left, and Preston Belcher of My Only Safe Haven promote their album. My Only Safe Haven’s display features wristbands and posters.

used to encourage purchases.

When asked how business was going, one student said, “We are running out fast!” Another said that she was learning about “teamwork.”

“It’s really fun,” a classmate said.

While the lemonade stand was in operation, several members of the Student Entrepreneurship Club demonstrated their products and services.

The band My Only Safe Haven promoted their album “Letters” which was recently released on iTunes. Kayla Saunders describes her group as pop-punk. She said “Letters” is on both Christian and alternative charts.

Jonathan Serino displayed “Aromatic Authenticity.” The toiletry comes in fragrances like pumpkin

spice, vanilla and tangerine with black pepper being a favorite, Serino said. Kaitlyn West exhibited her paintings and other works of art.

The Student Entrepreneurship Club is part of Concord’s Entrepreneurship Initiative. Dr. Mohan P. Pokharel, who holds the Shott Chair of Entrepreneurship and is assistant professor of management at Concord, is director.

He discussed how Lemonade Day and the product and service demonstrations are beneficial to students.

“Beyond increasing communal interaction between elementary school children and college students in the locality, the event is a microcosm of professional business situations,” Pokharel said.

“Members of the Student Entrepreneurship Club gain a unique opportunity to understand the centrality of customer response to effective product and service development,” he said. “Additionally, the awareness the event creates might inspire otherwise reticent students who have good ideas to uncover market potential. At its essence, the aim of the event is to launch the entrepreneurial journey from an idea to an innovative product or service that commands market value.”

To learn more about Concord’s Entrepreneurship Initiative visit: http://hub.concord.edu/ entrepreneurship

Athens-Concord Town Social

Moving to Third Sunday in August for 2015

thens and Concord University: A Community United” is the theme for the 2015 Athens-Concord Town Social.

This longstanding tradition for Concord University and the Town of Athens is moving to a new position on the calendar this year.

Historically held the second Sunday in August each year, the Town Social will take place on the third Sunday of August (Aug. 16) for 2015. The

time and location – 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. on the front lawn of Concord University – will remain the same.

Event organizers say the change is being made to open up the yearly gathering to Concord students and their families who will be on campus that day moving into the residence halls for the Fall 2015 semester. The new date will also encourage faculty returning to campus to attend.

The family friendly, small town

atmosphere of the Town Social will continue. In its 29th year, the popular event offers the campus community, residents of Athens and guests from across the area an afternoon to socialize, enjoy entertainment and visit vendor displays and craft booths.

Co-chairs for 2015 are Sarah Turner ’98, Concord’s alumni director, and Dr. Sarah Beasley, CU’s director of retention.

Summer 2015 • 72

Students Honored

during State Sports Medicine Conference oncord University’s Athletic Training Program brought home several honors from the West Virginia Athletic Trainers’ Association (WVATA) Annual Sports Medicine Conference held March 6-7, 2015 in Flatwoods, W.Va. Concord’s team won the Annual Student Quiz Bowl competition, defeating all other accredited athletic training programs in West Virginia.

“This is the first time in school history that our program has won this competition,” Laura Wamsley, clinical education coordinator with

Concord student Kara Broughman, right, receives the West Virginia Athletic Training Student of the Year award from Vince Stilger, WVATA President.

73 • Summer 2015

Members of Concord’s championship Quiz Bowl Team are, from left, Joe Sweet, Kara Broughman, and Samantha Spertzel.

CU’s Athletic Training Program, said. “It involved two rounds of quiz bowl style questions and one final ‘Jeopardy’ style question.”

Team members include Kara Broughman from Covington, Va.; Samantha Spertzel from New Cumberland, Pa.; and Joe Sweet from Lowell, Mich.

Kara Broughman received the

West Virginia Athletic Training Student of the Year award at the conference. She was selected for this award by the state membership due to her outstanding devotion to academics, service and the profession of Athletic Training.

A total of 10 students and two faculty members represented Concord University at this

conference. Additional student representatives include: Shila Allman, Leslie Mack, Brandon Barrett, Olivia Reilly, Lacie Giesel, Berkley Lowe and Adam Gellios.

Faculty attendees are Laura Wamsley, Athletic Training Program Clinical Education Coordinator, and John Roberts, Athletic Training Program Director.

“Students wishing to pursue a career in athletic training must go through a program that is accredited by the CAATE,” Roberts said. “We have full accreditation through 2018, at which point we will need to complete another intensive ‘Self-Study.’ The annual report is a broader view ensuring programs maintain standards and compliance in between Self-Study.”

Athletic trainers specialize in the prevention, evaluation and rehabilitation of orthopedic injuries and conditions. A student completing a degree in athletic training is eligible to sit for the Board of Certification (BOC) National Certification Exam.

Upon successfully passing this

exam an individual would earn the credentials “ATC.” This certification would allow the professional to work in multiple settings as an athletic trainer, including: colleges, high schools, sports medicine or physical therapy clinics, professional sports, orthopedic physicians’ offices, performing arts, military, and/or industrial areas to name a few.

To learn more about Concord University’s Athletic Training Program visit http://hub.concord. edu/human-performance/node/3 or contact John Roberts at jcroberts@concord.edu or 304-3846346.

Accrediting Body Standards Maintained

he Concord University Athletic Training Program has received notification of its full compliance in accordance with the standards set forth by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (the CAATE).

This recognition was achieved through the submission of an Annual Report as mandated by the CAATE. The report was submitted

by John C. Roberts, Jr., MSEd, ATC (Program Director) and Laura Wamsley, MEd, ATC (Clinical Education Coordinator.)

The CAATE is recognized as an accrediting agency for professional level athletic training education by the Council of Higher Education.

Find Our Magazines

On the Web

Look for archived copies of the Concord University Alumni Magazine on CU’s website at: http://www.concord.edu/advancement/publications

Summer 2015 • 74

CU Athletics

Allie Reid

Softball Completes Historic Season

With Record Wins and NCAA Playoff Victory

s junior pitcher Allie Reid of the Concord University softball team stood in the pitching circle, just 35 feet stood between her and home plate. Just 35 feet stood between the final out of the game against West Chester.

Just 35 feet and one strike away from clinching Concord’s first ever win in the NCAA Tournament. The wind and the pitch from Reid was a swinging strike and the jubilation began as the Mountain Lions locked up a 3-1 NCAA Tournament Regional win over the Golden Rams.

Prior to 2014, Concord hadn’t even sniffed a winning record since 2000 let alone a postseason win.

When head coach Alisa Tasler took over the CU softball program in 2012, the Mountain Lions had won 21 games the prior season and were just three years removed from a one-win campaign.

75 • Summer 2015

However, behind power hitters, sophomore Lauren Lewis, and junior catcher Alyssa Morris, that coupled with shut down pitching from senior pitcher / first baseman Lacey McDougall and Reid over the last month of the season, Concord finished second in the Mountain East Conference with a 19-7 mark.

Along the way, CU tied its 2014 mark for most wins in a season at 31, heading into the postseason.

The Mountain Lions won two games at the MEC Tournament which was good enough for the Maroon and Gray to lock up an NCAA Regional bid as the sixth seed in the Atlantic Region where they would face West Chester at Culpepper Field in Buckhannon, W.Va. Against WCU, Concord rolled Reid to the circle, where she had allowed a microscopic seven runs since

April 1, for the May 8 meeting with the Golden Rams. Aggressive base running and timely hitting from CU’s bats allowed the Mountain Lions to jump out to a 3-0 lead over the first two innings. Reid shut down the potent WCU offense over the first six innings until a solo home run in the seventh inning broke up her shutout bid, but Reid didn’t let the long ball derail her pitching gem, and more importantly Concord’s history-making win.

CU lost its next two games to West Virginia Wesleyan and Seton Hill, and was ousted from the double elimination tournament. But, a couple of close losses to two of the Atlantic Region’s top teams didn’t wipe away the smiles from 21 girls who had not only made the NCAA Tournament, but made history.

Sure, on this bright, sunny Saturday afternoon in north central

CU Athletics

Alycea Watson (left) and Alyssa Morris (right)

West Virginia there were tears flowing from the faces of four seniors, but senior second baseman Whitney Carrigan, McDougall, senior outfielder Jessica Seymour and senior first baseman Brantlea Wood helped lay the foundation for a team that had 13 consecutive losing seasons before a 31-win season in 2014, and when the foursome were freshmen CU had won a single game just three short years before. Now, these young ladies helped lay the foundation not only the 2015 season, but for the future.

The unprecedented success that CU enjoyed allowed five players to be named to the All-Mountain

East Conference squad as Lewis, McDougall and Morris were first team picks while Reid and sophomore shortstop Alayna Furr were second team selections.

Morris led the MEC in RBI with 51 and belted the second most home runs in the league with 15.

Lewis and Morris combined for 27 home runs which was the most among any set of teammates in the MEC. Morris and Lewis were also named to the Daktronics All-Region team while McDougall and Morris were National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Region Team. Morris also became the first Concord softball player to earn All-

Kevin Garrett Honored With Concord Way Award at First Pitch Dinner

at its inaugural First Pitch Dinner on Saturday, April 11.

“Our staff felt it was time to start recognizing those that gave so much to the program and embodied the Concord Way,” baseball head coach Andrew Wright said. “We felt there was no better place to start than with Kevin Garrett.

“Kevin Garrett took over the program in 1995, a year which they won nine games,” Wright continued.

“And then in 2010, his last year, they

American status as she was named to the NFCA Third Team.

Along with the team records, Concord set several individual offensive and pitching records in 2015.

What may be remembered the most by CU softball fans is the gritty offense that manufactured three runs against the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference’s Pitcher of the Year Amanda Houck. And of course Reid’s strikeout of West Chester’s Charlotte Conaway to lock up the win for the Mountain Lions in the NCAA Tournament will be viewed in school lore for years to come.

ATHLETIC DIRECTOR After amassing 355 wins, one West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championship and three appearances in the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional Tournament, the Concord University baseball team presented former baseball coach and current Concord Director of Athletics Kevin Garrett the Concord Way award

Kevin Garrett Summer 2015 • 76

CU Athletics only lost nine games.”

Wright, who was a left-handed pitcher and first baseman for Garrett from 2000-2002, explains about the Concord Way. “It is nothing more than leaving the situation better than you found,” Wright said. “In what started as our offensive approach, we quickly realized it was something we were doing in our day-to-day operations.

“The success we’ve had on the field speaks for itself, but the things that go behind the scenes, in the classroom and in the community is what drives a

program forward,” Wright said.

Wright, along with former players Wes Meeteer, Mike Miller and Devin Smith all gave testimonials on how Coach Garrett impacted their lives by playing for him.

“The impact that Coach Garrett has made in my life has been nothing but positive. He mentored me towards the end of my career which really got me in coaching.” Devin Smith ’13, ’15 “Outside of my immediate family, the one person I would point to that has

made an impact in my life is Kevin Garrett.” Andrew Wright ’04 “He allowed me the opportunity to play four years of baseball on a Division II level at Concord which meant a lot to me.” Wes Meeteer ’06 “The principals that he built the program on, I’ve also applied them to my life – the dedication to the family, to the job and being a hard worker.” Mike Miller ’03

MEN'S BASKETBALL McBride Named MEC Coach of the Year Boyd and Miller Named to All-MEC First Team Concord University men’s head basketball coach Kent McBride was named the Mountain East Conference Coach of the Year for 2015. Senior guard Mike Boyd and sophomore guard Aaron Miller were named to the All-MEC First Team.

Kent McBride McBride led the Mountain Lions to a 20-8 regular season mark during 2014-2015 after Concord finished 8-21 a season ago and were picked to finish 10th in the league’s preseason poll. Under McBride’s tutelage, Concord compiled a 15-7 MEC record which seeded them

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third in the conference tournament.

CU consistently achieved an NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional Ranking during the 2014-2015 season and notched 20 wins for the first time since McBride’s playing days at CU in 2003-2004.

The Mountain Lions were edged

by Wheeling Jesuit 73-70 in the quarterfinal round of the MEC Tournament at the Charleston Civic Center in March.

A season after earning All-MEC Honorable Mention, Boyd earned First Team accolades after leading the conference in assists per game (5.9) and recording an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.52, trailing only West Liberty’s Devin Hoehn for the league lead. The Cincinnati, Ohio resident was also second on the team during the regular season in points per game (13.4). Earlier this season, Boyd became the first CU player to record 1,000 or more points and 500 or more assists during a career. Boyd also helped close out numerous contests by shooting 44-for-52 from the charity stripe in the final five minutes of games this season.

Miller earned All-MEC First Team honors after being one of the most efficient shooters in the conference.

The Stephens City, Va. native was sixth in the league in scoring (18.3).

Miller had the third-best field goal percentage (.561 / 192-for-342) and three-point percentage (.471 / 72-for153) in the MEC. Additionally, Miller

finished third in the league in made three-pointers (72).

Junior forward Terry Hopewell was named to the All-MEC Honorable Mention team after averaging 9.9 points per game and 7.6 rebounds per contest. Hopewell tied for second in the MEC in double-doubles with seven throughout the course of the season. He was CU’s top shot blocker and sixth in the MEC as he tallied one block per game.

(Above) Mike Boyd, and (below) Aaron Miller

CU Athletics

HALL OF FAME Class of 2015 Inducted The Concord University Athletic Department held its annual Hall of Fame Banquet the afternoon of May 31 in the Pais Fellowship Hall at University Point. Four players and a former Concord men’s basketball coach make up the class of 2015.

Former All-American football players Bryan Hamm and Robert Thompson, men’s basketball allregion selection Tyrone Anderson, three time WVIAC champion in cross country and track and field Takuya Abe and the all-time winningest coach in Concord men’s basketball history Steve Cox were inducted into the CU Hall of Fame.

Championships. Abe, a native of Japan, also was a runner-up in the 5,000-meter and 10,000-meter runs in 2004. He was a five-time All-WVIAC First Team performer in his career at CU. Tyrone Anderson (Athlete)

Takuya Abe (Athlete)

Sport: Cross Country and Track & Field Years Competed: 2002-2005 Career Highlights: Abe was a threetime West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WVIAC) champion. In 2004, Abe won the individual conference championship while helping the men's cross country team to its first team title since 1968. By winning the individual conference championship, Abe was named the WVIAC Runner of the Year in 2004. That same season Abe finished 17th at the NCAA Atlantic Regional Meet. During the 2005 track season, Abe won the 5,000-meter and 10,000-meter races at the WVIAC

Sport: Basketball Years Competed: 2005-2007 Career Highlights: Anderson earned first team All-WVIAC honors during the 2005-06 and 2006-07 seasons as he averaged 23.7 points and 26.1 points per game during those seasons. Additionally, Anderson was a two-time NCAA Division II All-East selection during the 2005-06 and 2006-07 seasons. During the 2007 WVIAC Tournament, Anderson led the Mountain Lions to the semifinals and was named to the all-tournament team for his efforts. His 1,422 points rank 13th in school history and for his career Anderson averaged 24.9 points per game, 7.5 rebounds per game and 4.6 assists per game. Anderson was also a participant in the Division II All-Star Game. Since leaving Concord, Anderson has played professionally internationally in Egypt, Kuwait, Lebanon and Syria, and is currently on Al Sadd’s roster in Qatar.

Steve Cox (Coach) Sport: Basketball Years Coached: 1989-2011 Career Highlights: Cox holds the all-time wins record mark with 336

wins over his 22 years at Concord.

During his tenure, Cox guided Concord to three WVIAC Tournament Championships (1991, 1995, 1997) while advancing to the NAIA Sweet 16 in 1991. During the 1991 and 1995 seasons, Cox coached CU to the NAIA District 28 Championships. His 28 wins during the 1990-91 season are the most wins in a single season for the Concord men's basketball program. Cox coached 19 first team All-WVIAC selections as well as five all-region players and two first team All-Americans. Cox also coached the Division II leader in career blocks in James Doyle (418) from 199498. Since retiring from coaching basketball, Cox is the color analyst for Willie 97.3 FM for Concord football and basketball games. He is also the kickers coach for Concord’s football team.

Bryan Hamm (Athlete)

Summer 2015 • 78

CU Athletics Sport: Football Years Competed: 1989-1990 Career Highlights: Hamm was named a first team All-American in the 1990 season after amassing 1,267 yards with an average of 5.2 per rush.

In his two seasons Hamm rushed for 2,266 in his career while scoring 31 touchdowns and was named a first team All-WVIAC selection in the 1989 and 1990 seasons. In addition to being selected as All-American in 1990, Hamm was named the WVIAC Offensive Player of the Year after eclipsing 1,000 yards and scoring 19 touchdowns. Hamm led Concord to a 13-6-1 record in two seasons with a mark of 7-2-1 during the 1989 season. CU also had an unblemished WVIAC record of 5-0-1 in 1989.

Hamm ranks 10th in school history in career carries with 218. His rushing total is seventh at Concord and his

31 touchdowns rank third all-time in Mountain Lion history. Hamm helped the Mountain Lions win back-to-back WVIAC titles in his two years at CU. Robert Thompson (Athlete)

FOOTBALL

Sport: Football Years Competed: 1989-1992 Career Highlights: Thompson was named a second team NAIA AllAmerican in 1992 for his efforts along Concord's defensive line. During the 1992 season, Thompson led the Mountain Lions to the number one league ranking in total defense, allowing just 266 yards per game while leading the WVIAC in rush defense, giving up 63 yards per contest. Thompson was named a first team All-WVIAC selection on three different occasions (1990, 1991, 1992) and is the only Concord defensive player to be honored with first team recognition in three different years in school history.

With the help of the stout defense that Thompson was a member of, Concord won consecutive league championships in 1989 and 1990.

2015 Schedule

September 5

West Liberty

Away

September 12

Fairmont State

Home

September 19

Urbana

Away

September 26

West Virginia Wesleyan

Home

October 1

University of Charleston

Away

October 10

UVa. - Wise

HOMECOMING

October 17

Notre Dame College (Ohio)

Away

October 24

Shepherd University

Home

October 31

Glenville State

Away

November 7

West Virginia State

Home

For more on CU athletics, check us out online at

www.cumountainlions.com Athletics section compiled with assistance from Wes McKinney ’13 in the CU Sports Information Office.

79 • Summer 2015

CU Athletics

SPRING FOOTBALL Maroon Defeats Gray 14-6 in Spring Game Led by sophomore quarterback Brian Novak and stingy defensive play, the Maroon squad defeated the Gray squad 14-6 in Concord University football’s annual spring game the afternoon of Saturday, April 25 at Callaghan Stadium.

Novak and the Maroon squad drove the length of the field twice in the first half, but could not get the ball across the goal line in either instance, settling for two field goals from freshman kicker Zach Keaton as he converted from 36 and 24 yards away.

Trailing 6-0 at halftime, the gray team opened up the second half with a jolt of energy as redshirt freshman running back Ethan Richardson swung around the right side of the line, found an opening and scampered 70 yards for a touchdown on the opening play of the second half to knot the score at 6-6.

After Novak and junior wide receiver Ryan Stewart hooked up for a 30-yard score in the fourth

quarter to give Maroon a 14-6 advantage, it appeared the Gray squad would answer with a score of its own late in the game.

Driving inside of the Maroon 30yard line, junior quarterback Albert Rose of the Gray team was sacked by junior linebacker Cade Rogers.

Rogers’ hit also jarred the ball loose from Rose, and Maroon took over with less than three minutes left as it hung on for the 14-6 win.

Despite losing, Richardson had a game-high 127 yards rushing and a touchdown for Gray while sophomore defensive lineman Darryl Johnson and sophomore linebacker Brandon Martinez each had eight tackles with Johnson racking up two sacks.

Novak finished with 119 yards and a passing touchdown.

Defensively for Maroon, junior linebacker Austin Dotson and Rogers each had five tackles and a forced fumble.

Top: Brian Novak Bottom: Cade Rogers

CROSS COUNTRY Family of Concord Athletes Wearing his letterman sweater, former Concord basketball player Paul Greer ’48 stands between his twin granddaughters Bailey and Kenna Knowles. The sisters will run for CU in the fall. They are from Christiansburg, Va. and are the daughters of Concord alums Steve ’85 and Amy Knowles ’85.

Athletics section compiled with assistance from Wes McKinney ’13 in the CU Sports Information Office.

Summer 2015 • 80

HonorRoll 2014

thank you

Please Note: In the Spring 2015 issue of the Alumni Magazine Gary Gillette, Class of 1984, was inadvertently left off of the 2014 Alumni Donor Honor Roll. Mr. Gillette became a CUAA Lifetime member in 2014. The Alumni Office apologizes for this omission.

Career Services Blog Series

Features Advice from Alums he Alumni and Career Services offices have launched a new program in 2015 – the Career Services Blog Series. Each month a different alum will be sharing advice related to their career, the job search process and/or how Concord helped prepare them for their career. Their

GiftIdeas

posts will be featured on Concord’s website and through our social media outlets. To read about how Concord prepared alums for their professional life go to: http://hub. concord.edu/career-services/ career-services-blog-series

Support the CUAA “The Campus Beautiful” is a print by well-known artist P. Buckley Moss produced especially for Concord University in conjunction with the Concord University Alumni Association, Inc. Print size is 11”x13”. Cost is $100 with $15 shipping and handling for each print.

Make all checks payable to: Concord University Alumni Association, Inc. Mail to: CUAA, Campus Box 83, PO Box 1000, Athens, WV 24712.

When ordering, please include your name, phone number, email address, and a street address for shipping.

Anyone who joins the CUAA as a Lifetime member will receive a Moss print as their membership gift while supplies last.

81 • Summer 2015

TAKE ROAR WITH YOU! We want to see you with Roar wherever you go! Cut out Roar, to the left, and take him on your fun adventures. Then, take a photo with our friendly mascot and send it to us so we can share with the rest of the CU alumni family!

Summer 2015 • 82